AN- It's almost done folks, just two chapters (the next chapter is 95% written) and an epilogue after this. :D
Let me know what you think and be on the lookout for another chapter tonight or tomorrow.
Big thanks to my amazing Beta, DarkNorseLady.
14. The Full Moon
It was late the next afternoon when Remus and Hermione left Shell Cottage. By the time they had made the trek through the forest and were approaching the village, it was already night time. He was several steps ahead of her when Hermione reached forward and gripped the back of his jacket, stopping him from moving further.
"What is it, love?" he turned to face her.
Hermione brought a finger to her lips. "Something's not right. It's entirely too quiet." Her face paled as she stared down the path toward her home. Taking a steadying breath, she held a finger to her lips again, before stealthily making her way down the trail.
She led him off of the path, and they quietly made their way through the undergrowth, careful not to bring attention to themselves. When she motioned for him to follow her out of the dense foliage, they were right behind their hut.
He had taken no more than a step out of the forest when a shriek sounded all around them. Instantly, Remus made to take a step backwards toward the treeline but instead found himself being shoved forward by Hermione. She shook her head and pointed to their bedroom window.
Pulling her wand out she silently waved it, and the window slid open. She swiftly climbed inside before moving so Remus could do the same. Once the window was shut, she made her way toward the front room of her hut and watched as several men in long black robes walked between the huts, checking the shadows for the intruder.
When they passed by the front of her hut, she let out a breath she'd been unaware she was holding and made her way back to where Remus was waiting in their bedroom. Putting up a silencing charm, she sat beside him on the floor and stared at the moon through the window.
"We can't stay here," she whispered after a few minutes.
He nodded, "I know. I'm sorry Hermione. It looks like the Death Eaters got here before us."
"It'll be ok," she scooted closer to him and leaned into him. "This war needs to end."
Wrapping an arm around her, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "While we're here was there anything else you wanted to take with us?"
Hermione shook her head, "not that I can think of; I'm fairly sure I brought everything with us to Grimmauld Place." It was several seconds later when she suddenly sat up and crawled toward the table on the left side of the bed. Opening the drawer, she pulled out too daggers and matching sheaths. Crawling back to Remus she handed him his. "I think we should start carrying these. If we are disarmed, at least it'll give us the element of surprise." He nodded before fastening his to his pants.
Hermione leaned back into his side and felt herself drift off to sleep as he ran his fingers through her hair.
"Hermione."
She started awake and found herself staring up into Remus' eyes. It was a moment before she remembered where she was. Sitting up, from where she'd ended up with her head in his lap, she wiped the sleep from her eyes. "I'm sorry, why'd you let me sleep?" she stretched.
He shrugged, "you seemed tired, and I didn't mind keeping watch. I have a plan to get us out of here, though."
She gestured for him to continue.
"I think that if we time it right, and send a patronus in the opposite direction, it should create enough of a distraction for us to make a run for it into the woods. It's what, about four kilometres to the point that we can apparate?"
"A little less, but yes. If we go directly behind the hut, we can apparate once we hit the muggle town. Do you think enough time has passed that their guard is down?"
"I think so, but we still have to be quick. If I disillusion you, do you think you can do the same to me? It won't be perfect, but should be enough to get us away."
Hermione nodded, "yes, I can do that."
Once they were both disillusioned, Remus opened the window and climbed out, before helping Hermione to do the same. Just as expected the second his feet touched the ground the shrieking started again, and the Death Eaters could be heard grumbling as they were awoken.
The two werewolves quickly each sent a patronuses in different directions before entering the forest. By the time they reached the muggle town, they were both out of breath and ready to get somewhere to go to bed. Taking Hermione into his arms, Remus apparated them back to the cliffs near Shell Cottage.
Finding the bed they'd used the night before unoccupied, the couple settled in, and sleep came almost instantly.
Hermione was happy to see Luna back up and in the morning. She and Draco were talking in the living room when Hermione made her way down the stairs.
"Hermione!" Draco exclaimed. "Weren't you supposed to be with the pack until after the moon?" Seeing his cousin's fallen expression, he stood up and ushered her into the chair across from Luna. "Where is Remus?"
"He's still asleep," she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "We were planning on staying, but, uh, we weren't able to speak with my parents. We barely made it in and out of the village at all. There were Death Eaters everywhere. Anyway, we made it back here. There is no use dwelling on things." She gave a forced smile. "So, what are you two in here plotting?"
"Well," Luna leaned in closer, "We think there has to be something in the Lestrange vault. Bellatrix was much too worried for it to be about nothing."
"We were trying to figure the best way to get into the vault. Luna had a brilliant idea. She proposed that one of us use polyjuice to pose as Aunt Bella."
"To do that you'd need one of her hairs," Hermione bit her bottom lip.
"I found one on my jumper," Luna supplied, "It must have transferred to me when she flung me to the ground." The other two cringed.
"It takes a month to brew the potion, when it's complete I can take it and help you guys get in, it should be right after the full moon."
Luna shook her head, "I'm planning on taking it. Remus will insist on coming along if you're part of it, adding more people will be too much risk."
Hermione nodded. "Ok, I'll help in any way I can."
"I have an idea on how you can help." Hermione turned to see Harry standing in the doorway.
"Sure," she nodded, "anything I can do to help."
"Well," he rubbed the back of his neck, "we've all got a decent amount of knowledge on duelling magic, but I think it'd help if we could incorporate some of the more physical combat that your father taught you."
Hermione smiled, "I'd love to teach you."
Draco sent hex after hex at Harry, but the dark-haired boy managed to dodge every one of them, all the while making his way closer to his attacker. When he finally made it just a few steps away, he tackled the blond to the ground.
"Not bad, Potter." Draco laughed while rolling away.
"I'm impressed with how much you've been able to train them." Hermione turned when she heard Remus sit beside her.
"Yeah," she smiled and gestured to where Ron was expertly avoiding a jelly-legged jinx from Bill, only to be hit by an impediment jinx by Luna. He grumbled as that slowed him enough to be hit by the next one his brother sent at him. "I've had some excellent students."
Remus hummed in agreement, "I think it had more to do with your teaching. So," he cleared his throat," have you thought about the full moon? It's tomorrow."
"I, uh, I don't know where to go." She turned back to him, "I was hoping you'd have an idea."
"I do," he smiled, "I thought we'd pack after you finished here."
Hermione nodded, "we're actually done now. Let's go get our stuff together. Do I get to know where we are going?"
His eyes were full of mirth as he shook his head, "no, it's a surprise."
When she opened her eyes, they were outside of a small dilapidated cottage. Remus smiled at her sheepishly. "It's been a few years since I've been here."
"Where are we?" she turned her head to look at him.
"Come on," he grabbed her hand, "let me show you where I grew up."
The inside of the cottage was in much better condition. It was still entirely furnished and nearly spotlessly clean.
Noticing Hermione's surprise, Remus smiled again. "When mum got sick, dad managed to develop a charm that kept things clean, or at the very least dust free."
"That sounds like a very useful charm."
"Mmhmm," he nodded, "it's a shame he didn't teach it to anyone before his death. To my knowledge, this is the only dustless cottage around. Oh! Wait here I have something to show you."
When he returned to the living room, Hermione was already seated on the couch. Taking a seat beside her, he placed an album on the table in front of them.
When she opened it a grin spread across her face, "Look at you! You were the cutest baby," she cooed.
Remus, now red-faced, pointed to a young woman with sandy brown hair in another picture. "That was my mother just after I was born."
"She was beautiful," Hermione turned the page and let out a loud laugh. The photo was of a tall wiry boy, maybe ten years old, dressed in frilly dress robes. "Oh, Remus! Did they really dress you like that? You poor thing."
The next two hours were spent sitting together looking through the photo album as he regaled her with tales of his childhood. It was after midnight when he showed her to his old bedroom.
While he transfigured the bed to be large enough for the two of them, she looked around. "Is this Sirius?" she asked picking a picture up from his desk.
"Hmmm?" he turned toward her. "Yes, that's me, Sirius and James in our 6th year."
"They look so carefree, and Harry looks so much like his father."
Remus nodded, "he and Harry's mum would have loved you. Although, if you think Sirius' comments about our age difference were bad, he'd have nothing on James." He shook his head, "We'd have never heard the end of it. Anyway, love, the bed is ready."
Hermione fell asleep quickly that night, but he laid awake thinking about what the future held for them and wondering where they'd call home when the war was over.
The next day was primarily spent together, cuddled up on the couch each reading their own book. As moonrise approached, Remus led Hermione out into the cottage's large backyard.
Their transformations were quick and painless, which was a relief to both of them after months of agony, and they were soon running happily through the long grass.
Remus had Hermione pinned and was playfully nipping at her when a sound in the distance caught his attention. In an instant, he was up and running through the woods. He was acutely aware of the sound of his mate running beside him as he continued further into the dense trees.
Finally stopping when they were just outside of a clearing, it became apparent what had caught his attention. In the clearing were several deer. He watched for a few minutes as they milled around before darting forward and tackling one to the ground, successfully causing the remaining deer to scatter. Hermione wasn't far behind, and soon the two wolves were sharing a meal.
After waking up back in their human form in the early afternoon Hermione and Remus decided to head back to the cottage and spend another day lounging around and enjoying one another's company. Late that night, as they prepared for bed, there was a knock at the front door.
Remus hesitantly opened it and was relieved to see Sirius on the other side. The relief was short lived when he saw the look on his friend's face, "What's wrong, Padfoot?"
"Harry is at Hogwarts," he paused and waited for Hermione to approach. "A battle is beginning."