a/n: I survived dental surgery! Hurray! Here is a new chapter and I'm almost finished with the next one so hopefully that will be up soon. Leave me some love! and I've been meaning to give individual thank you' sot all the lovely people following this story. So... Here we go. Thank you to, Ashamalee, Bananaphobia (sirsly? fear of bananas?!), Cassbutt-Destiel, Kilataia, LK-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL, Luckygirl1291, MarieOrtiz, SOA-The-Crow21, Silver Winged Maiden, TinyK56, catgirl87, dani asmar potter, fanfictionfan1990, frances2, , janiya, jmullinax, klaud9, metallicangel22, nightowl19, samanthakp, Serena-pearl05, takoda40, thunderrose2009. (Phew)
When Remus emerged from the basement, he was surprised to find Hermione gone.
"But where did she go?" He asked his father.
"Lily's. She staying there for the remainder of the break." John looked at his son sympathetically. Remus got that temper from him. React before thinking. People didn't expect that of them, because the Lupin men were gentle most of the time.
"We can talk about this later darling. Let's open presents right now." Annie led him to the living room where his friends were tearing open each other's gifts. They would all return to the Potter's for more presents and dinner.
A few presents later, Remus spotted Hermione's dainty script on a small package. He opened it carefully, not to ruin the pretty wrapping paper. It was handmade chocolates in the shape of wolves. He felt incredibly guilty. She had obviously noticed his love for chocolate. She probably thought she was so funny and clever with the wolves, and to know she made these by hand made something stir in his stomach. A little note in the chocolate box told him they were each filled with a different flavor. She added two extra chocolate hazelnut wolves, his personal preference in chocolate. He tucked it away before the boys tried to steal them.
This was not the Christmas he imagined.
Hermione quickly packed, promised letters to the Lupin's and apparated to the Evans house. Lily responded quickly when a teary eyed Hermione flooed asking if she could come stay.
As Hermione landed at the doorstep of the Evans residence, she was instantly at ease. A normal house in the suburbs, with muggle children, playing with their new sleds in the street. She felt a twinge of sadness and longing for her parents, but squashed that feeling down. She was done being sad for the day. She was going to enjoy herself. Lily threw the door open and tackled Hermione in a hug.
"Mione!"
"Oh goodness. Not you too!"
Lily shrugged and pulled her into the warm house. Muggle Christmas carols were playing on the record player in the corner. Mrs. Evans swooped in like an owl and hugged Hermione tightly. Lily rarely brought friends over and she was just so happy for her daughter, which she said out loud, multiple times, much to Lily's embarrassment.
Lily introduced Hermione to the family. No surprise that Petunia stuck her chin up in disgust and fled the room. Lily squeezed Hermione's hand in reassurance.
"Sorry about her. She doesn't really like our kind." She said in hushed tones. Hermione gave Lily a wary smile
"Lily Bug. Let's get Hermione settled and then you two girls can help Mum with the Christmas cookies!" Mr. Evans was sporting a father Christmas hat and wearing bright red pj's. Mr. Evans and Mr. Granger would have gotten along just fine.
The girls clambered up the steps to Lily's room and relaxed for a minute. Hermione laughed at Lily's Beetle's poster with lipstick kisses on George's face. It was all just positively normal.
"Come on. Let's go! Mum will need our help!" Lily pulled her schoolmate from the bed and joined her mother in the kitchen.
They spent the afternoon covered in flour, ate a glorious dinner,and watched Christmas Specials.
They girls spent New Years giggling in Lily's bedroom over the Champaign the Evans let them "sip."
When it was time to return to Hogwarts Hermione felt refreshed, ready to focus on studying and finding a way home. Her first stop the night of their return was the Headmaster's office.
"Come in." Dumbledore's cheery voice said.
She sat down and Fawkes flew to rest on the desk in front of her. She pet the bird as they made small talk.
"Hermione, were you hear for a reason? Anything on your mind?"
"Well Professor. I was actually wondering if you've found a way for me to go home?" Her voice was very small and quiet. She managed to look in those damn twinkling eyes, only to find the headmaster frowning.
"Hermione, I've researched but nothing has been found. The way you arrived was very advanced magic.I suggest you live for now. You are here. Surely there is good you can do In this time?" Cue the twinkle. Hermione sighed, but nodded all the same.
"Is that all? Nothing else you wish to discuss?" Dumbledore quirked an eyebrow at her. She realized he was asking about Remus. This was mortifying. She could in no way have this conversation with Dumbledore of all people. She shook her head no a little too quickly and felt dizzy.
"Excuse me sir. I-I have to go. Studying and stuff." Hermione bolted out of his office for the Library. She needed distraction. Anything.
March 1977
Hermione avoided Remus successfully since their return from break. She would make very forced, polite conversation, but that was it. The Mauraders were torn. Hermione had become a bit of a staple to their group, but Remus was their friend longer, so they sided with him. Secretly, James would meet Hermione to ask advice about Hermione and Sirius would shamelessly flirt with her if Remus wasn't around. Hermione dove herself into her school work and often found herself in the company of Severus and Lily. Which is why, on a Friday, she found herself studying under a tree by the lake with the two. Spring was starting and today was perfectly warm.
"Hermione. If you don't stop that incessant parchment shuffling I'm going to ban you from the tree!" Severus sneered reminding her of the future Snape. Hermione had been searching thru her book bag for the past ten minutes.
"Oh. Sorry Sev. I think I've forgot my Tranfiguration essay in our dorm!"
Lily looked up and gave her a sympathetic smile. Almost everyone was outside enjoying the weather and Gryffindor Tower was a bit of a walk. "How about I walk with you? I need a break and a stretch."
"Sev, will be back alright?" Lily said with a smile that made him blush which he hid quickly with his Potions textbook.
They were just returning towards the lake when they heard a commotion. They looked at their tree to find James's wand pointed at Severus. He was dangling upside down with his knickers on display for the crowd that had gathered. Hermione felt her stomach dropped. This was a very familiar scene. Something Harry mentioned...
Lily and Hermione ran to stand in front of Severus, wands pointed.
"Expelliarmus!" Hermione disarmed James and was met with four, shocked faces. Snape dropped do the ground with a thump.
"What was that for?" James yelled.
"Potter! You absolutely disgust me!"
"Evans! We were just having a bit of fun!" James said defensively.
"Yeah. Snivellus here tried to hex us." Sirius pulled his own wand out and tried Levitate Snape again. Lily went marched up to him and socked him in the face.
'Well this is certainly not how this happened the first time around.' Hermione thought to herself. The Mauraders and the students around were completely shocked. Lily turned to help Severus up. Hermione rushed to his side.
"Get off me Granger."
"Sev. Please don't say anything you might regret." She whispered pleadingly to him. Lily reached for his arm and he violently shook them off before standing.
"I said get off! I don't need help from you filthy mudblood's!" He screamed in their faces. Hermione Caught Lily as she staggered back from the words he spewed. Tears flooded Lily's eyes and the look on Severus's face broke Hermione's heart. She suspected he fancied Lily.
"Lily...I. I'm sorry. I didn't..." Severus tried to step forward but Lily flinched.
"Get away from me. I never want to see you again!" Lily said harshly.
James stepped forward, and yanked his wand out of Hermione's hand. He put his wand on Severus's throat.
"You will never go near Lily again. If you do, you will pay. Understood?" He said in a dangerously calm voice.
Snape just scowled and stalked off.
Lily fell in Hermione's arms and sobbed. Hermione whispered consoling words into her ear.
"It's just a word Lily. You are so much better. So so much better than all of those prejudice Pruebloods."
The boys knew they were still in trouble with Hermione and Lily, but they helped them back to the Common Room. They sat on the couches in silence as Hermione continued to comfort Lily.
The one night out of the month Hermione couldn't avoid Remus was upon her. She ran down to the shack because she was running late. She got completely caught up in the library.
Several things happened as she pushed the door open announcing her presence.
Severus ripped off the invisibility cloak from behind her and pointed his wand at Moony. Moony tried to launch at Severus, but Prongs rammed into his side causing a distraction for a minute.
"Hermione. You need to get out Now!" Severus yelled over the commotion.
Hermione brandished her wand and sent Severus flying to the wall beside them. Moony turned to face her and started to make a reach for her.
"Hermione No!" Snape yelled. He aimed his shaking wand towards the Moony who now held Hermione protectively. "SECTUMSEMPRA!" He bellowed. The dark curse hit Hermione on her arm. She cried out in pain and the werewolf was now out for blood. Severus staggered towards the door. Just as Moony was about to lunge, Padfoot took a turn in distracting.
Severus stood and looked from Hermione, to Remus, and back. He had obviously figured out what was going on.
"You and this...this beast! You stupid girl! How could you let him mark you!"
"Not the time for this conversation. For heavens sake, get the FUCK out!" Hermione said quickly before sending her patronus to Dumbledore. She conjured a cloth to wrap around her arm. Within seconds it was bleeding thru. Severus gave her a conflicted look. "Oh honestly. Go!" She said as he fled the room. Before he was out of ear shot she yelled. "And you better tell Dumbledore the counter curse or I will inflict worse pain on you!" With that taken care of she marched up to Padfoot and yanked him off of Moony. He cowered back when he saw the look in her eyes and whimpered like a puppy.
"I can't say I'm particularly fond of you right now Sirius. You will think about your actions tonight!" Hermione reprimanded him as he followed a limping James out of the shack. Peter was no where to be found. She locked and placed several wards on the door With angry flicks of her wand. How the hell did she forget this would happen? First the incident with Snape and Lily and now this! A giant sandy paw dragged her backwards and she collapsed against the wolf and sobbed. She was angry with herself. So caught up in her own drama, she ignored events that she could have prevented. She cried until she ran out of tears. She was angry that she allowed Remus to be hurt, put into the situation where he could have killed Severus for god's sake! Moony started to tremble violently and suddenly, the werewolf transformed back into Remus. She looked up at him in amazement and checked her watch. It was only 1 AM.
"H-how..."
Remus frantically checked over her body for injuries, his body still trembling. She sat next to him, ignoring his nudity, in shock. She let him examine her body. When he got to the blood soaked arm he placed kisses gingerly around the area.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault..." He kissed up her arm continuing his apologizing. Hermione grabbed his face roughly and crashed her lips against his. He fervently returned the kiss and she broke it all too soon.
"Not your fault. No more apologizing."
The adrenaline from earlier quickly wore off and Hermione's arm kept gushing blood. She leaned on Remus, struggling to stay awake.
She heard a bang of the door opening and Dumbledore muttering some sort of spell over her arm, but she couldn't hold on any longer. Everything went black.
Hermione woke up in the Hospital Wing and saw Dumbledore siting in the chair next to her bed.
"I really need to stop fainting. It's all getting a bit too dramatic for my taste." She said weakly.
Dumbledore gave her an amused smile as he popped some of her get-well treats in his mouth.
"You are impressive Miss Granger. It took me about a half hour to break down your wards. And I have a feeling that wasn't even a quarter of what you can do."
She blushed at the praise from her Headmaster.
"I didn't realized I used to many sir. There I go with the dramatics again..."
" I always like a challenge Miss Granger. Well my time is up. A certain boy is waiting outside for you and it would be unwise of me to keep him from you." He gave her a wink as he left.
Remus took the chair the Headmaster had occupied and smiled at her.
"I'm glad you're finally awake."
She looked at him and noticed a fresh, gnarly scar on his forehead.
"Remus. How in the world did you change back before sunrise?" She watched his expression carefully. He had apparently not been expecting this question. His face went from surprise to a blush and ended on a look of anxiety.
"I'm not entirely sure. I saw. I mean Moony saw you get injured and I sort of fought my way forward? I suppose it was like the opposite of what Moony did when he fought his way out of the effects of the Wolfsbane. That's my theory anyway."
"And Moony didn't have any objections?" Like a flick of a switch, Hermione's know-it-all, bookworm attitude was back in full swing.
"For awhile he did. But he realized I'd be more use to you in my human form, so he let me change."
"You put it to use alright..."She said under her breath. Remus caught every word of it and looked at her blushing face with a raised eyebrow.
"You do realize, you were the one who kissed me first." Remus scooted closer with a mischievous smile.
"Bloody Marauder charm." She muttered. Hermione silently scolded her brain for letting it's filter down. All the while Remus leaned in close to her face. Her breath hitched as he captured her lips in a soft kiss.
"I've been a dreadful person to you. I'm really sorry Hermione. I really don't have an excuse for my behavior. I suppose no matter how hard I try, I'm still an immature sixteen year old boy. I want to give this a shot. You make me want to be a better person. Give me one more chance?"
"I have conditions."
"conditions..."
She gave him her best Marauder smirk and it made Remus very nervous. "Oh yes. You see, you were being an immature sixteen year old Pratt. And I want to know you are serious about giving this a try. So, here are my conditions." Hermione counted out the list on her fingers. Number one. You no longer get to live in denial about what's happening between us. We are bonded, might as well get used to that idea hmm? Number two. You are going to work on accepting yourself, Moony and that Unavoidable bond you share. What happened last night was frankly amazing. Moony isn't as awful as you think. Number three. You will work on your temper. And number four. For goodness sake, you will give me a chance to defend myself Remus John Lupin! I am nearly seventeen and not to toot my own horn, but I've held my own against death eaters and lived to tell the tale. I understand Moony takes over, but I want you to try. Comply to these simple terms and I think we can do this. Do you agree?"
Remus could only nod dumbly before she kissed him on the lips.
"Very good. Let's start with number three today shall we. Don't kill Padfoot just yet."