AN!!: Alright, some of you monkeys have been asking for longer chapters. Interestingly enough this one is pretty long, so i wasn't actually going to comply, but i inadvertantly did anyways. pretty sweet, huh? lol. Oh, and i'm sorry i didn't get this out sooner, but school is a bitch. i hate math. so yeah, i really am trying, but homework is kicking me in the face. so...hope you like it. i'll catch you guys next time. reviews make me smile!!!

Chapter 18

The class went by slowly as it was all review for the exam the next day. Most took notes, but Hermione did not. She didn't even raise her hand, which further concluded Remus's thought that her wrist was definitely injured.

When the bell rang everyone filed out except for Hermione and Draco.

Remus looked up and said, "Mr.Malfoy I don't remember asking you to stay after class."

Draco looked over at Hermione, who mouthed 'Go'. He nodded and left the room.

Remus stood and walked over to where she sat, perching on the adjacent desk.

"Miss Granger, why were you late?"

She looked up at him and responded, "I left my cloak in the dungeons."

"If I recall correctly you didn't have a cloak at breakfast, so you will have to come up with a more convincing bluff."

Hermione just sat there, staring a hold in her desk, not speaking.

Remus sighed. "What if I ask you what happened to your wrist?"

Hermione looked up, surprised, and self-consciously pulled her sleeve over her wrist. "I-I tripped."

"Well, since you obviously won't tell me how it happened, will you at least let me heal it?"

Hermione gave him a small smile and nodded.

He smiled and said, "Follow me."

He led her up the stairs and into his office, which looked much as it did in 3rd year, full of different tanks with dark creatures inside them.

"You can take a seat while I look for my potion case in this mess."

Hermione smiled and sat in the chair closest to her.

She turned to him and observed, "This place hasn't changed a bit. I think it was in the same state when you had it for my 3rd year."

He grinned. "Old habits die hard I guess." He pulled out a small box and rifled through it for a moment before pulling out a small jar. He walked over and sat next to her, putting the jar on the desk.

"Ok, let's see what damage you've done to that wrist of yours."

She let him take her hand and look it over as his hands roamed across it, occasionally putting pressure on different areas. Hermione was enjoying this, though she wasn't showing it. She whimpered when his prodding reached the inferior side of her wrist. His eyebrows furrowed as he carefully turned her hand over, revealing a bump on her wrist where one of the bones of her arm had been pulled out of it's place.

"Hermione," He said gently. "Your wrist is dislocated. I know you can't have done that just by falling. Please tell me who did this."

He looked In her eyes, watching the thoughts and emotions pass through them. Finally he saw resignation.

"It was Crabbe and Goyle," She sighed.

Remus's eyes narrowed. "Where, when, and why?"

Hermione smiled. "Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with a candlestick?"

Remus shook his head. "You know what I mean."

She nodded, "Yeah, but it was more fun teasing you. It was on the way to class. I went back to the Dungeons for my cloak and as I was walking back, Crabbe and Goyle stopped me and we had some words. Goyle got mad when I didn't obey everything he said, and he twisted my wrist."

Remus nodded. "Ok, but that still doesn't explain the cloak, since you weren't wearing one."

"Oh," She said. "That was because I didn't want to walk to class with Draco."

He raised an eyebrow. "Trouble in Paradise?"

She laughed. "If you must know, I'm starting to feel more and more like Draco is my brother, not my boyfriend."

"Yet you're still with him."

"Not for long. I'm going to break things off. I'm just waiting for a good time."

Remus chuckled. "Alright, let's fix that wrist."

He pulled out his wand and muttered a spell under his breath and they both watched as the bump on her wrist receded.

"There." He said. "How does that feel?"

Hermione moved her wrist around, checking how it moved and felt. Occasionally wincing.

"This feels so much better. I just wish there was some way to get rid of the bruising."

Remus picked up the jar he had set aside earlier.

"I have to admit, I can't quite figure how wizards can fix a dislocation with a simple spell, but we can't seem to figure out how to heal a bruise."

He opened the jar, poured a quarter-sized portion of the thick liquid inside onto her wrist, and started massaging it in gently.

"Let me know if I hurt you." He said softly.

"Then I should probably tell you about class a few weeks ago, or even class today."

Remus sighed tiredly, stopping his ministrations.

"Hermione, I must apologize. I know I've been toughest on you over the last few weeks, and you don't deserve it. I just didn't want everyone to remember their 3rd year and expect my class to be easy. I have no intentions of dropping you from my class."

He reached out and cupped her cheek.

"You're my best student.

She smiled. "Your hand is all greasy."

He chuckled and withdrew his hand. "You're right." He said, returning his ministrations to her wrist.

They sat in silence for a few minutes until the liquid has completely absorbed into her skin.

Remus looked up and smiled at her, gently asking, "How does it feel?" as his hands roamed hers gently applying varying pressure.

She felt amazing.

His hands are like magic. I think I could sit here for hours.

"Fantastic. I can't even tell that I hurt my wrist before. I thought you said wizards couldn't heal bruises."

"I suppose I misspoke. The only way to heal bruises is with a balm like that one, and it only really works if it is massaged into the skin. Madame Pomfrey tells you she can't heal bruises because there are so many cases and she doesn't want to end up rubbing balm into every student here."

"That does make sense." She admitted. "But I'm warning you that if I ever end up with another bruise, I'm coming straight to you."

He grinned. "Alright, I guess I walked into that one."

She laughed. "Yep."

The clock above them chimed and they both looked up.

He sighed. "Lunch already?"

"Looks like it." She answered. "Want to go down there?"

"Why not."

She stood, still holding his hand, and headed for the door.

He looked down at their joined hands and back up at her questioningly.

She gave him an innocent look. "Don't want to lose me in the crowds, do you?"

He grinned. "Never."

They walked down the deserted hallways together in silence, occasionally exchanging a glance or a smile, but never betraying their true emotions for each other.

The great hall stood before them sooner than either of them would have liked. Before Remus could let go of her hand and enter the hall, she grabbed his other hand with her free one.

He raised an eyebrow, but stayed facing her.

"Thank you for everything today. I probably wouldn't have been able to use a quill for a week."

"Anytime, Hermione. Anytime."

They exchanged smiles and Remus turned and held the door open.

"After you." He said.

She shook her head and entered, heading towards the Gryffindor table to report all that had happened to a certain female Weasley.