Hermione padded happily in front of Severus. She was beginning to get used to her caracal form, the instincts and new senses that initially had been strange and foreign to her seemed now to blend easily into herself. She decided she enjoyed it. And every now and again she would hear Severus grumble or mutter something to himself, tiny snippets of phrases that she found so amusing. A 'Damned girl', here and 'Blasted animal' there. It made the whole walk thoroughly more enjoyable.

One thing that seemed to cheer her up was that she seemed to know where she was going. She didn't know a lot about caracal's. She had never even read up on them before and didn't know if they had a sixth sense of direction. But she did. She paced on without a seconds thought to where she was headed. All her instincts told her that where she was supposed to be, was this way. And at the moment this way was currently headed to wards a mountain verge.

It didn't look too steep. Especially as a caracal she knew she wouldn't have any trouble following the path. But Severus might. The trail was narrow and rocky, to the left side of them was the mountain, vertical and sharp, and to the right was the moderately steep cliff.

She had run on ahead to get a better look and from what she could now see it was a long way down, possibly seventy-feet. There were trees growing out of the stone mountainside at odd angles, she briefly thought that they might break a fall should it happen. But no one was going to fall, Severus would be careful even if he was in a foul mood. He would have to be.

Getting as close to the mountain side and away from the edge she sat down. Her tail beneath her legs was still a strange thing and took much getting used to. She swayed it about in the wind.

She wondered where Remus and Ron were now, and Harry and Ginny. They were possibly so far ahead they were setting up camp. Severus' ingenious short-cut had cost them hours. She hoped that the others would wait for them, well of course they would. They needed Severus.

She thought about him for a while. She was angry with him, yes, and beyond everything else, heartbroken. He had hurt her, but she had expected that. After all, this man was not the boy she had loved, he was far from him. And if she believed him, that was all her fault.

She shook her head and her whiskers tingled in the wind. She wasn't going to think like that. Remus hadn't become a Death Eater; of course she wasn't to blame. And she had about had enough of being accused. She stood up and was about to change back into herself when a noise caught her attention.

Her ears, perfectly defined turned backwards as she picked up on the unfamiliar sound. Something was scuttling across the path in front of her. She looked back for Severus; he was finally catching up, a scowl still covering his face, but that wasn't the sound she heard. She turned forwards again her indigo eyes narrowed and her pupils dilated, something was there. She crouched down close to the ground and strained to hear; her ears turned forwards, rounded like satellites picking up all kinds of noise, focusing on one.

It was small, she didn't know how she knew, but she did. Small and fast, it was probably just a bird or a rat, but something told her to be cautious. So she stayed focused. Perhaps it would be better to point her wand at whatever it was, but that was the problem, should she risk her heightened senses and awareness for her wand?

IIIII

Severus kicked a few stones out of his path as he followed her. What was she playing at anyway, pouncing around like a big kitten? It irked him to no end. He hadn't seen her transform since he was a kid, but then again, as he kept forgetting it was only a few days ago for her.

But that wasn't the point. He remembered her transformation as something between them, she had made him laugh by mutilating Black, and he had promised her a surprise. One that he never got to share. Not that he wanted to now. No her transformation reminded him of the beginning of the end. After that last moment of happiness in his life everything else had spiralled down.

And her she was now, parading about in front of him as if it meant nothing.

"Insufferable chit" he cursed aloud.

Catching up with her he cornered a path and saw her tail. Golden, flicking back and forth. Rolling his eyes he sighed, "What now?" He called over.

She was crouched down close to the ground, she looked as if she were about to pounce. Was something wrong? He scanned the area in front of her and saw nothing, despite himself he felt panicked. She was close to a steep ledge, one wrong move and that would be the end of her.

Remus would surely be upset, he sneered.

"Miss Granger-?" he called out, she didn't even twitch or acknowledge him. "Hermione-?"

Slowly and silently she stood. Her padded paws masking the sound of her movements. Severus' eyes narrowed and she backed up towards him. Not taking her eyes off the path in front of her she slowly began to morph back into the shape of Hermione Granger.

"Well, now that you have finally decided to-"

"Shh" Hermione hissed at him, she pointed a finger to the path in front of her, "There is something there" she whispered.

Severus instinctively pushed her back and stood in front of her protectively. If he had thought about what he was doing, he probably would have let her be the hero. She had the wand after all.

Speaking of her wand, she currently had it drawn and was pointing it over Severus shoulder. Severus eyed it suspiciously.

"Miss Granger, unless you want to blow my ears off with that" he indicated towards her wand, "I suggest you remove it from the side of my face".

Hermione blushed and dropped her wand to her side. "It was just something small" she told him, "It's probably nothing".

Severus sighed, he couldn't see anything. He straightened up and was about to whirl around to have a go at her about running about like an animal what something small and grey jumped out of nowhere.

"Aaah" was all Hermione could scream, when the small gremlin like creature pounced on her chest and began attempting to bite her neck.

Stumbling back, she tripped over a rock and her heal gave way under her. Her hands which were pulling frantically at the beast on her had no time to react as she fell back, down the ledge and off the cliff.

Severus was there in a second. He just missed her hand as he reached out for her and watched as she painfully stumbled backwards and tumbled to the ground below. He rushed over to the ledge and felt a flood of relief was over him as he saw her handing on to a tree for dear life. His dark eyes bore down, he didn't know what he would do if he lost her. He had been so accustomed to having her in his life, he wasn't sure he knew what this world would be like without Hermione Granger in it.

Hermione's big brown eyes met his, "Severus" she called out to him, reaching up a shaky hand as she clung to the tree for dear life with the other.

He reached down a hand to her but she was too far away, "You'll have to climb further" he called down, "I can't reach you".

"It's still on me" Hermione shouted, and as she did Severus noticed the silvery cretin clinging on and attempting to gnaw at Hermione's leg. It was a sprite. Nothing too dangerous, but they were feisty.

"Use your wand girl" he shouted to her as if it were obvious, it came out harsher than he had intended.

Fumbling for a minute with the wand in her jeans pocket, she finally managed to point it at the sprite. Just as she did so, the little creature realised that something bad was going to happen to him, if that piece of wood aimed his way. Quicker than either Severus or Hermione could have anticipated, the sprite bounced forward and dived for her wand. It missed, but knocked it out of Hermione's hand. She screamed and Severus reached to no avail as the wand tumbled to the ground below them. The sprite, still snarling and brandishing its teeth, fell also. It hit the ground with a soft thud.

Hermione gave out a sob which drew Severus' attention back to her. She was holding on, hugging the tree as if it were her only grip on life. He reached down for her slowly and pulled her up.

Her hair was tangled with twigs and leaves, her face, hands and legs grazed from the sharp mountain side. Her hands were grubby from the tree and she had several cuts on her leg and arm where the sprite had bitten her. He pulled her towards him and wrapped his cloak around them both. He would allow himself just one hug, and it was mainly for her benefit.

He rubbed a hand slowly in circles on her back, and when she leaned into his warmth he felt something tighten in his chest. And unfamiliar almost forgotten feeling of tingling rising up through him, he frowned. It would do no good to be feeling like that again.

"No come on" he said pulling her away from him, "It will do no good to cry, if you were stupid enough to go running on ahead then it serves you right you silly girl" he spat.

Hermione's face looked torn and confused, "But I-" she tried but Severus cut her off.

"I do not want your pitiful excuses, come now, unless you want to spent the night here with me I suggest you get a move on. I for one could think of nothing worse"

Hermione gulped and blinked back a few hot tears. But did as she was told and followed his lead across the mountain.

IIIII

It was getting darker, and cold. Their breath, like small clouds, puffed out in front of them. Hermione blew on her hands and tucked them under her arms to keep warm. He fingers had long since gone numb.

The sky above them was a misty blue. The last rays of that days sun struggling to break through the darkness that seemed to powerful to fight. Hermione sighed. They were nearly back; she could see and smell smoke from a man-made fire coming overhead. Probably Harry's.

Her eyes were tired from the cold and crying and her legs ached. Her whole body seemed to be trembling. Severus had offered her his robe, but she had refused. She didn't want to owe him anything, and he certainly wasn't being kind to her for her sake.

As they rounded a corner the sounds of familiar voiced warmed Hermione to the core and she, ignoring Severus hobbled forward. He ignored her too, but as she almost tripped her picked her back up without a word.

"Hermione" Remus shouted over as he saw the pair approaching.

Hermione's face beamed at him, and Severus felt a surge of anger curse through him.

As Hermione was limping forward, the fallen leaved crunching underneath her feet, Remus stopped and stared at her. His grey eyes taking in her dishevelled appearance. Severus himself felt ashamed and guilty, he probably should have taken better care of her, kept a closer eye, not that there was anything that could be done about it now.

"What in Merlin's name had happened here?" Remus said as he brought Hermione into the camp light.

Harry, Ron and Ginny were all standing back by the tent, their faces confused as to what had happened and why Remus was so upset over a few cuts and bruises. After all he hadn't seemed too bothered when Ginny had stumbled over.

"A sprite attacked her" Severus offered forwards in a bored tone.

Remus looked up at him with murderous eyes, "what have you done to her?" he shouted accusingly, "Look at her Severus, what on earth have you done?"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but was drowned out by Severus who marched forwards and faced Remus square in the chest. "I have done nothing, but be burdened with her presence" he spat out and immediately regretted it. Hermione looked at him with wide hurt eyes. He frowned at her, but now because he was angry. He was torn, surely she didn't expect him to apologise or take back what he had just said, but her eyes seemed so hurt, so offended.

"Well you needn't be burdened anymore" Remus said in a voice dangerously like a growl.

Severus pursed his lips and looked from the hurt Hermione to Remus placing his arm around her and pulling her towards him. Fine, he certainly wasn't going to hang around where he wasn't wanted. He scowled at the both of them and turned curtly on his heel storming off into the forest again.

Hermione opened her mouth to call after him, but Remus pulled her towards the fire. "Its ok" he said soothingly, "He just needs to calm down, he'll be back".

Hermione nodded and took a seat on one of the large rocks that surrounded the small flame. "It wasn't his fault" she said hissing in pain as Remus gently pulled up the sleeves of her top, "It was a sprite".

Remus just nodded at her and began looking over her wounds. "I have some cream, that will help the healing process" he said and reached into his robes, "It's not great, I made it myself, but it will be better than nothing".

Hermione looked at the tiny vial in his hand, the liquid in it, supposed to be a healing balm was a little creamier coloured than it should have been, but she didn't say anything. After all Remus never confessed to being a Potions Master. "Thank you" she said smiling, and watched as he delicately poured some of the paste onto his hands and began rubbing it over her arms and into her cuts.

It stung, in fact it burned. She guessed that he had added to much Unicorn hair and in result the healing balm was now a lot more antiseptic that it should have been. Still it would do the job, and Remus had tried, she didn't want to insult him after all.

As Remus worked his way from her arms to her legs Hermione caught a glimpse of Harry and Ron over by the tent they had set up. Both of them were looking at her as if to say 'what-on-earth-is-going-on' whilst Ginny was smiling knowingly at her. Hermione decided she didn't like that smile at all and frowned at the trio. Ginny winked and pulled the boys, against their wished, into the tent. Embarrassed at what Ginny was implying Hermione blushed and turned back to face Remus.

He was slowly caressing the cream around her ankle and taking great care in doing so; he looked up at her slowly and smiled shyly at her.

She smiled, a bit unsurely back.

"I was worried you know" he said, moving to work on her other foot, "when you didn't come back. I thought something might have happened".

"I was quite safe" Hermione said, she closed her mouth before adding 'with Severus' on the end.

"I see that now" he said softly, "and these cuts will heal nicely, you will hardly notice them in a day or two".

She smiled what she hoped was a grateful smile down at him. Properly brewed, a healing salve should only take a few hours. "Thank you" she said quietly.

He smiled and having finished covering her foot in the paste took a seat on the rock beside her. She looked at him nervously for a moment, but he didn't seem to want to speak. So she faced forwards as well, them both now looking into the vast darkness of the forest.

They sat like that for a long time; every now and then Hermione thought Remus would say something as he opened his mouth and turned to her, but no words come out. So she sat quietly, admiring the leaves that still clung to the trees despite the bitter harsh weather they were up against.

She wondered where Severus was, out there alone. Would he even come back, he was a Death Eater now right? Somehow it didn't seem all that right to her.

"We should get some sleep" Remus finally said and stood to help her to her feet.

Inside the tent Hermione's eyes were asleep as soon as she hit the pillow. Too tired to even dream.

A/N; I really feel for Remus, he is so cute, and he really has got it bad.

Ah well.

Don't forget to Review you Snape-tastic people!!