AN: Sorry this is so short! I'm not sure how long before the next chapter, because I am starting up school again soon, and life is getting busy again. :-) I'll try to keep adding about a chapter a week, but sometimes it may be every other week or so. Now on with the story! And remember, reviews are a great motivator.

Chapter 21

Hermione, Ron, and Harry were all sitting on their makeshift beds in the family room of Grimmauld Place, discussing who R.A.B. could be, when the front door opened and the wards went off. All three shot up and had their wands pointed at the front hall. Hermione knew it wasn't Severus, so she hoped no one else gave up the location resulting it the intruder being someone other than a member of the Order.

"Show yourself!" Harry yelled.

Remus Lupin came walking in the room with his hands up.

"How did you know we were here?" Ron asked as he began to lower his wand.

"Just a hunch."

Neither Harry nor Hermione lowered their wand.

"What was the first item you ever gave Harry that he can remember?" Hermione asked

"Chocolate on the Hogwarts Express after the dementor." Hermione nodded and began to lower her wand. When she saw Harry still held his wand up she raised hers again.

"What was the first spell you taught me outside of class?"

Remus smiled, "Expecto Patronum. We used a boggart to practice and your patronus is a stag like your father's."

Finally Harry nodded and both he and Hermione lowered their wands.

"What are you doing here Remus?" Harry asked.

Remus glanced at Hermione before answering, "Just seeing if I can be of any help. I know you will probably be leaving here soon, and I wanted to offer my services. After all, I was your Defense Against The Dark Arts Teacher. I could be of some use to you." Hermione narrowed her eyes at him slightly.

"That would be brilliant!" Ron said.

Harry just stared at him, "What about Tonks?"

Remus forced a smile, "She is perfectly safe and living with her parents at the moment."

Harry pursed his lips. "I don't think you should come with us. But why don't you stay for dinner?"

Remus raised an eyebrow, but nodded in acceptance… of the invitation for dinner at least.

The four talked amicably until dinner was almost over. They were sitting eating an edible at best meal made by Creature, when Remus started talking to Hermione. "If I am not allowed to go with you, I have a project I can use Hermione's help on."

"What?" All three said at once.

"No, Dumbledore wanted all three of us to work on this. We really need Hermione for this." Harry said.

"What type of project are you working on, Remus?" Ron asked.

"It has to do with potions. You know quite a bit about that don't you Hermione?" Remus asked, diverting his attention to her.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. He knew, or he was fishing for proof of a hunch.

"I'm not too great with potions, but I have learned quite a bit in the past year." She could feel herself go on the alert.

"Self-taught or did you have some help?" Remus said with a hint of accusation.

"Both." Hermione slyly grabbed her wand out of her pocket.

"Hm. Any good with poisons?"

"I'm much better at hexes actually" Hermione growled out.

"That doesn't shock me since you married-"

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Hermione screamed as she stood.

"What the bloody hell, Hermione?" Ron said in shock as Remus fell from his chair stiff as a board.

Harry just looked at her shocked and baffled.

"Sorry, but it isn't time for anyone to know my husband, or other's hunches." She said the ending glaring at a petrified Lupin.

Hermione took a deep breath. "Uh, I just need to have a discussion with Remus here." She said as she cast a mobilicorpus and floated him into the library where she locked the door and cast silencing and anti-spying wards like Severus had taught her.

"Finite Incantatum." Hermione said as she glared at her old professor.

He quickly stood aghast, "You married Snape?!"

Hermione forced an incredulous look on her face, "Who on earth told you something like that?"

"No one. I could smell you all over his room when we searched it after he murdered Dumbledore and again at dinner the other night!"

Hermione swallowed. He knew. Who had he told? No one could know! She felt her anger turn into panic. She thanked her lucky stars that Severus was somewhat blocking their connection, and that she was beginning to learn how to as well.

"Hermione, he killed Dumbledore! He's a traitor. You cannot stay with them. He knows where you are through the soul bond; he may not hurt you out of self-preservation, but he will lead them right to Harry and Ron."

"You're wrong Remus."

"So he didn't murder Albus Dumbledore?" He said with a challenge in his voice.

"No. He killed him, but he didn't murder him." Hermione ran her hands over her eyes.

"Explain."

"I can't." She looked him directly in the eye. "There are things you do not know Remus. Things that must remain secret in order for the end of this war to happen as it should. You cannot tell anyone that Severus is my husband."

"Like hell I can't! You know where he is! And he knows where you are. He'll lead them right to you and betray you, too!"

"Remus! You're right; he knows where I am, even as we speak, just like I know where he is. I can also hear his thoughts and vice versa. We can feel each other's emotions and pain too. Don't you know me at all? I would rather die than betray my friends. If there was even a chance that Severus would do something to endanger Harry or Ron, I would hand him over on a silver platter to Aurors or to the Order. But he's not. There is something in motion that needs to happen, and I need you to trust me enough to believe me and not tell anyone."

"So what is he thinking right now about this conversation?" Remus asked still not trusting her.

"It doesn't work like that. We hear each other's thoughts when we focus on them, or push them to each other. The other's voice isn't constantly in our head. We always feel each other's emotions or pain, but we try and block that… especially the pain. But we always know where the other is."

"So he can block his thoughts from you, or place false ones?" Remus asked as if trying to speak to a child.

"He wouldn't do that. Look, I guess I can't convince you what I say is true, and I cannot tell you everything. Hate him, despise him; that is what was supposed to happen, but don't spread my husband's identity around. It will serve to not only get him killed, but me as well." Hermione's shoulders slumped slightly.

"Hermione, just think about it. Who convinced you that there was some 'grand plan' in motion to begin with?" Remus asked her trying to make her see reason.

"Dumbledore did, right after we married due to his suggestion." That made Remus shut up.

"Dumbledore?"

"Remus, it is imperative that you not share what you know with anyone. In fact I probably said more than I should have, but you were very persistent."

Remus stared at her with a calculating look, "Do you believe Severus is still on our side, Hermione?" He finally looked like he was beginning to believe her, and would consider trusting her answer.

She smirked, "If you have to duel him, just don't send any permanent hexes his way."

Remus sat back thinking, "Alright Hermione, I won't say anything to anyone for now, but I expect a full explanation one day… one day soon"

"I'm sure everyone else will as well."

She stood and began removing the wards. Remus walked up behind her impressed, "Those are some powerful wards. Who taught you them?"

She smiled, "My husband."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When she finally opened the door, she couldn't help but smile. Harry and Ron had moved the chairs so they were at the end of the hall facing the library door in order to watch it. They both sighed in relief when two conscious, walking people emerged. "So what exactly is going on?"

Hermione glanced at Remus, "It doesn't really matter. Everything has been settled."

"Although" Remus said, "I have just spoken to a very anxious, red-haired witch, before arriving, who wishes to be reunited with her husband."

"Any chance you can bring her here Remus?" Asked a smiling Harry.

"I will return with her as soon as able, which may be in the morning." With that he nodded to each of the trio and walked out the front door to disapperate.