The Christmas holidays were welcome and happily received at Hogwarts. The students because they could go home and see their families. The teachers because they could stay at Hogwarts and avoid the students. Hermione sighed at stared woefully around her Library. The N.E.W.T students spent more and more time in the stacks studying their hearts out and causing a shortage of books. Hermione had to install anti-theft charms to stop them borrowing half the Library. Eventually she had all the books in all the right places and she retreated to her office.

It would just be her this Christmas, with the defense group gone. They had a name and were registered as a legitimate Hogwarts association, although entry was by invitation only. The Study Club gave James and Sirius a chance to thumb their noses at the teachers who thought the pair merely strolled their way through school without working. She'd already been congratulated by several members of staff for managing to tame the Marauders. They had gone back to Potter Manor over the holidays, with Remus who was supposed to keep them out of trouble. Lily had returned to the Evens household and was trying to avoid her sister. Alice and Frank were going to spend Christmas together; Alice's family had been invited over to the Longbottom Estate for the holidays. The only one of Hermione's group left was Severus but he had assured her that he and his girlfriend, Felicity Greengrass would be more than content in the empty Slytherin Dungeon. They'd started going out at Halloween when, under intense pressure from James and Sirius, Severus had asked her out. Hermione approved of the match. The Greengrasses had always been a neutral family even when she was at Hogwarts, who while mostly Pureblood, held no quarrel with muggles. Felicity was no exception to this, going out of her way to be accepting of Lily's role in her boyfriend life and even studying with her. She sighed and stretched. Knowing as she did that there would be no unwanted guests in her study she'd set up all the photos she had brought with her. Smiling images of her and others waved down at her. Her favourite was a group photo of the Second Order which took pride of place on the mantle above the fire. There was Sirius, dashing as always, every member of the Weasley clan. In the middle Hermione and Ron on either side of Harry with Remus on their left holding hands with…Tonks. Moody and Kingsley were at the back, standing tall and proud, with the other Aurors, Dumbledore at one side, McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape and Sprout gathered around him. They all wore happy smiles, but like the first photo of the Order it wouldn't last long. Sirius would die later that year, Dumbledore following a year later. Bill was free of the scars he'd eventually gain. Flitwick, Fred, Remus, Tonks, all looking like they had all the time in the world. I can save them. I have to.

Hermione pushed herself to her feet and smiled at the photographs. Harry waved to her from atop his Firebolt and Hermione grinned at the thought. She slipped into her bedroom and pulled the broomstick out of her beaded bag. Harry had taught her to fly when they'd been stuck in that bloody tent. Eventually she'd gotten over her fear of flying and began to gain some skill. She wasn't good enough to play on a Quidditch team but she enjoyed flying all the same. Harry had once told her it was like a sense of freedom, being able to soar through the clouds where man was never supposed to be. He could be oddly poetic at times. Hermione opened her bedroom window wide and mounted the broom. She shrugged out of her robes and tossed them on her bed, leaving her in jeans and her favourite t-shirt. The young witch kicked off and was soon soaring through the skies around Hogwarts. The air was cold, freezing the water droplets in the clouds into snow which fell in drifts around her, but she didn't mind. She looped around the Owlary calling out to the owls, who lifted from their perches and followed her for a while before splitting off to hunt in the Forbidden Forest. The snow flecked in her hair and she headed for the Quidditch pitch, making a couple of lazy loops before landing and heading for the changing rooms which were kept heated, to warm up. She rubbed her frozen and bare arms and nabbed the first Quidditch top she came across. It was a Gryffindor and blessedly clean, so she pulled it over her head, vowing to return it eventually. The walk back to the Library was quiet and she greeted a few of the portrait and students she met.

"Hermione!" Minerva's voice slashed through her musing and Hermione turned Firebolt resting on her shoulder, dripping water from the twigs to for a pool by her feet on the floor.

"Yes Minnie?"

"Are you ready?" Minerva's face pinched slightly in impatience, wrapped in her thick green traveling cloak.

"For what?"

"The Order meeting. I told you you'd been invited didn't I?" Minerva clucked slightly and grabbed her arm. "Come on. I'm glad you've got your broom, you'll need it." She produced her own Cleansweep from under her robes and Hermione sighed wordlessly before summoning her own cloak from her room. Minerva's eyebrows rose at the display of power but she didn't say anything.

"Why are we flying?"

"Only way. Dumbledore needed to make it as safe as possible, although apparently he didn't consider dying from hypothermia a real threat. We fly to the portkey, which changes location each time. I don't even know the location which makes apparition to the location impossible. The only way is using a location spell and following the signal. Hence the brooms." They were outside the main entrance now and Hermione shrugged her cloak on and mounted her broom again, activating the heating runes she'd installed for Harry to keep the chill out of her hands. Minerva kicked off and Hermione followed wishing she'd thought to tie her hair back. They were soon joined by Flitwick, on his considerably smaller broom and the group turned west following Minerva's wand, until the reached a field in the middle of Stirlingshire. A lone crisp packet served a portkey and Minerva held it out. Keeping a firm grasp on her broom Hermione reached out and pinched the corner of the packet with two fingers, Minerva and Flitwick each taking a corner. Hermione felt the now familiar hook around her navel and shut her eyes as she was dragged through what felt like a hole in space. It was generally better not to look during portkey journeys, it made her nauseous seeing all the blurring colours and disturbing darkness. They landed in a bright marble hallway and were greeted by a house elf who took their brooms and showed them to a large ornate door. The whole place was beautifully decorated in a way that screamed I've got money and taste.

"How much have you told Dumbledore about me?" She whispered to the older witch.

"Enough for him to trust my judgement. After your display at the duelling club and checking I wasn't under the Imperious Curse he agreed to let you join although I would expect him to be wary of you."

"Brilliant." Hermione drew her cloak around her, wishing she was back in her robes. Hermione followed her friend through the door into a brightly lit room. It was decorated in Gryffindor colours and had a large, brightly polished table set in the middle with chair all around the edge. Witches and wizards Hermione vaguely recognized from pictures milled around the edge of the room, including the current Lord and Lady Potter and Dumbledore sat in residence at the end.

"Ah, Minerva." He called out to the others. "If you would all be seated. I believe everyone is here." He waited for the chairs to finish scarping off the floor and continued, pointing a long finger at Hermione. "I would like to introduce Hermione Granger, Hogwarts newest Librarian. She has decided to join us in our escapades."

Moody snorted and Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.

"How can a Librarian defeat Voldemort? Throw books at him?"

Flitwick grinned at the larger man and laughed. "She is the one who beat me in a duel. Cost me my title. Believe me, she can hold her own."

Hermione blushed slightly and shrugged. Hermione was sitting between Moody and Minerva and she was in prime position to be watched at all times. Hermione sighed. She really hated it when other people were right but promises were promises, even if they hadn't been made yet.

"Moody?" She whispered. The wizard tensed and she knew she had his attention as his hand crept towards his wand. "I think I'm a banana tree."

The wizard burst into guffaws of laughter, much the amazement of the rest of the room who had never heard him laugh at anything other than dismemberment. He turned to Hermione and smiled, scaring several people in the process.

"Now how would you know about that?"

"A grumpy old git told me." Hermione smiled slightly and adjusted her cloak, very aware that the rest of the Order was staring at them.

"Spell or turner?"

"Turner."

Moody chuckled and Dumbledore broke into the conversation.

"Something you'd like to tell us Moody?"

"Oh just reminiscing. Don't worry about this one. She'll be fine."

"We will see." Dumbledore turned back to the rest of the Order faintly annoyed. He hated not knowing things and Minerva his faithful lieutenant and now Moody were hiding things about this Madam Granger, a witch he knew next to nothing about. "Voldemort's Death Eaters have been lying low recently. He is up to something. Anyone with anything to report that might be useful?"

Hermione listened for an hour as the reports were read. Moody and his Aurors had put away several Death Eaters, Amelia Bones had fudged the paperwork so they stayed in Azkaban and Arthur Weasley had stopped the selling of Inferi protection amulets that actually caused dangerous rashes. As it had in Hermione time the Order was floundering. If Voldemort didn't make his action known there was no way of knowing what he'd do next. Next to her she could sense Moody vibrating with the need to do something more proactive than paper work. Hermione glanced around the table noting people she recognized. She blinked twice at the Fred and George lookalikes who she realised must be Fabian and Gideon Prewitt. Dame Longbottom looked strong and robust and incredibly terrifying. James' parents looked happy, quietly holding hand sunder the table, despite their advanced ages. She was jolted out of her thinking by a change in Dumbledore's previously calm tone.

"Alistair before you make your usual argument, may I point out we are heavily out armed and even with our newest..." He paused glaring disdainfully at Hermione his voice sounding annoyed, "Recruit, there is no way we could mount a suitable arrest." Dumbledore didn't even turn to look at the Auror. Instead he sat quietly staring at his hands. "If no one else has anything extra to add then I suggest we call this meeting to an end." The chair scraped back and the member disbanded. Hermione longed to do something to kick-start this War. The Order would never win if it hung around like a knitting course. Dumbledore was obviously displaying some more of his high poward thinking. He shot Moody an unreadable look and the wizard nodded. He grabbed Hermione arms and dragged her out into the hall and through another door.

"Do you mind?" Hermione snapped.

"So how do you know my time travel code?"

"You told me. You dragged me to one side once during an Order meeting and said I needed to remember it. Apparently you had a feeling I'd need them." Hermione grinned at the memory. "I thought you were madder than usual."

Moody grinned, his electric blue eye spinning in it's socket. He relaxed his stance and grimaced at her.

"Is it true you won against Flitwick?" His gruff voice sounded almost hopeful as he took a swig from his hip flask.

She nodded and he grinned savagely. "It's about time someone knocked that little man off his podium. His ego was getting out of size."

"Moody you trained me. How could I not win?" The man blushed slightly at the compliment and Hermione giggled.

The pair talked for almost half an hour, Hermione increasingly surprised how much she liked the Auror's company. When he was older his battle scars and experience made him terrifying to approach and Hermione had never really had a conversation with him outside of training. This younger version of Moody, only into his mid thirties was a pleasant surprise. Eventually the older wizard left to renew the wards around the house, his eye spinning as he went. Hermione assumed Minerva had already gone home and stumbled out into the hallway, yawning extensively. It was deserted, the marble floor clacking under her boot heels, the cloak rack now empty of capes. Hermione hadn't taken her cloak off. She felt her muggle clothes were slightly informal for such an occasion.

The Marauders, Lily and the others wouldn't be asked to join until they graduated from Hogwarts. Hermione was convinced she'd managed to alienate Peter from the group. She'd considered trying to convert him. Up until Hermione had found him bullying a group of first years with savage glee. She'd given him detention and passed her final judgment on him. If Peter Pettigrew never became secret keeper the Potters may survive the war.

"Hermione?" Three voices called out to her in unison. She turned and saw James, Sirius and Remus descending the staircase in their pajamas. If one of them wasn't the future father of my best friend I'd be drooling right now. All three were well muscled from Quidditch, making up the best chaser team Gryffindor had ever seen. Remus only played on the reserves however as the full moon often coincided with games. Oh what the hell, he's my mate I can look. Her wolfagreed although she kept unusually quiet.

"Hello boys." Hermione put on her best know-it-all face, the one she used to get Ron to do his homework and tried not to stare at Remus' bare chest. Judging by his slight blush it didn't really work. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Sirius grinned and padded across the floor towards her. "Only if you'll join us."

"Us?"

"Remus and I." He grinned seductively at her. "You know you're curious. Two dogs and a bone etc..."

Hermione and James burst out laughing.

"Yeah right Padfoot. Like you've a chance with Remus. Hermione on the other hand..." He turned to Hermione. "We were heading down to the kitchen for some supper. Care to join us?"

She shrugged. "Well I haven't eaten tonight so I wouldn't mind it." The boys grinned in triumph and linking arms with her skipped down to the hallway to a back stairwell. Eventually they emerged into a bright room, filled with gleaming copper pans hanging on hooks and house elves. There were three in total and Hermione was please to see they look happy and well treated in their uniforms embossed with the Potter crest. The youngest elf darted forward as they entered and bowed low.

"What can Niam do for you masters and miss?"

James thought for a moment. "Hot chocolate would be nice with some cake if you've got any." The elf beamed and sat them down at the large table on one side of the room. Hermione seemed to collapse into the chair, her face lined with exhaustion.

"Bad day?" Remus muttered.

"Trying. I was here for the Order meeting. I don't think Dumbledore trusts me. He shot me these dirty looks all throughout the meeting" James winced slightly.

"Well you did pop out of nowhere. Quite literally in fact." He paused as the elf set out three steaming bowls of hot chocolate and a plate of cake each, ignoring her glare. Hermione wordlessly passed her chocolate cake to Remus when he finished his and he gazed at her in amazement and gratitude.

"Hey look James. The chocolate must just be a Remus thing. Not a were-wolf thing." Sirius giggled slightly. "They do say the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Must be true of were-wolves too."

Remus blushed slightly and changed the subject. "Why are you still wearing a cloak? Are you ill?"

"The other way is to take off your clothes." James guffawed with laughter as Sirius grinned like a loon.

She laughed and sipped some of the sweet liquid. "Sirius! Behave. No, nothing like that. I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of the Order members." Remus smiled from beside her, the picture of perfect behavior .

I will not notice his chest. I will not notice his chest. I will not notice his chest.

"We think you're ridiculous anyway." He smiled at her hopefully, just glad to see her. He'd missed her the last week. Hermione jumped as she realised she'd been determinedly not staring at his chest. His rock hard muscled... Behave Hermione. "So hand over the cloak."

"Huh? What?" She blinked and ignored the smug look in his eyes. He knew she'd been looking didn't he? "Well thanks for that." Hermione chuckled nervously and undid the fastenings around her throat passing the cloak to the waiting elf, who blushed at her thanks. She raised an eyebrow at the three boys who stared at her.

"Hermione? Something you'd like to tell us?" Sirius asked tentatively.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're wearing a boys Quidditch jersey. Guys give them to their girlfriends. Turn round." Hermione did as she was bid, explaining to them as she turned.

"I just found it in the changing rooms. I have no idea whose it is." The ominous silence from behind her made Hermione frown. "What's wrong?" She turned back to face them. James was smiling slightly his eyes twinkling, with Sirius beside him grinning like a fool. Hermione glanced at Remus and gasped slightly. His eyes were glowing amber, a look of primal satisfaction on his face and her wolf preened under the attention.

Finally, she growled.

"What does it say?" Hermione glared at them trying to provoke a response.

Remus answered her, the smug possessiveness evident in his voice.

"Lupin."

A/N Today has been a hell of a day. I had my last day of high school, so we had leaver mass and signing everyone's tie and everything. Emotionally draining doesn't even begin to cover it. I saw Iron Man 3 but that is unrelated.

Does anyone think I should make Peter more involved?

Does anyone want to know if Remus can convince Hermione to stay the night?

Review and you'll find out.

punkyredhead: I will never get tired of your awesome reviews.

Review, favorite, print out and use as hamster bedding. Your choice really.

Damn I'm tired,

Hood Out.