Disclaimer: Me no own it...

Alrighty, folks, here is the next chapter...sorry for the delay, but I just wanted to clear it with someone before I posted it...

Anyhow, hope you enjoy it!

* Edited for content and tense - May 1, 2012

Man of the Night

Chapter Twenty-One

The Afterglow (or Aftermath)

Hermione

Hours after waking up in the most glorious way possible, I was sitting in the Great Hall eating my dinner as I dodged questions from Ginny.

Most of her questions were innocent and playful, until Ginny became annoyed that I was not playing along.

"So, how was he? Good, I suspect, as you apparently forgot to cast an imperturbable charm on your room," she smirked as I nearly choked on my pumpkin juice.

Oh, bugger all!

"Ha! Gotcha!" Ginny exclaimed, collapsing in a fit of laughter.

I was scared to death for a moment, but I remembered now that I cast one on my room before we started our horror film marathon so that no one would hear Ginny shrieking during the 'scary' parts. She knew that too, that bloody little wretch!

Oh, I was going to get her for that – perhaps she would like to see what it was like to have spiky pink hair like Tonks? It would suit her complexion perfectly.

"Ha ha. Thanks, Gin, you're such a sweet friend."

She merely laughed at my expense. "You should have seen the blood drain from your face!" She laughed for a few more minutes before finally calming down. "I just wanted to get some kind of reaction from you."

"Well, I'd say you succeeded admirably."

Focused once again on eating my meal, I finished the last bits after a few minutes. Glancing up at the Head Table to see Sirius and Remus whispering back and forth. I briefly wondered what they were talking about before they both glanced down at our table, grinning in my direction.

That mangy mutt! I bet he coerced Remus into giving him every little detail about where he spent his night, morning, and most of the afternoon. I mean, I loved Sirius to death, but he really did not need to know the details regarding my newly discovered sex life.

I was about ready to leave the Great Hall when Harry and Ron suddenly appeared behind me at the Gryffindor table.

"Yes?" I asked as they towered over me, glowering in my general direction. I found their imitation of Professor Snape lacking but made no move to voice that particular opinion.

"We need to talk," Harry responded tersely.

"NOW," Ron demanded.

So, that was how it was going to be. Bloody wonderful. Ron was oh-so-easy to deal with when he was being his normal bigoted self. Right. I would rather try to fit horseshoes on the centaurs then deal with him right now.

"Fine. Meet you in my room in ten minutes," I snapped, promptly getting up and leaving. I managed to sneak in a quick glance at Remus before I left, smiling as he mouthed 'good luck' to me.

Rushing to my rooms, I quickly cleared away any evidence of Remus having been in my room – specifically, I made my bed and hid the grey t-shirt that I would not let him put on when he left earlier. I didn't bother to hide the wild flowers that he sent me yesterday or the little note that was attached to the vase. The boys would have to deal with certain items as adults.

A loud banging sounded on my door exactly ten minutes from the time that I left the Great Hall – who knew the boys could be so punctual without me breathing down their necks? Merlin knew I certainly didn't and I was sure most of the professors would say the same.

Flicking my wand at the door to let them, I settled my back against the headboard on my bed. I might as well be comfortable if I had to sit through this inquisition, right?

Harry and Ron entered and stopped near my bed, both refusing to sit when I motioned to the chairs that I transfigured for them. They merely stood staring at me for so long that I finally cracked.

"What is this I hear about you disrespecting a professor right to his face, Ron?"

Ron's face immediately turned red as he sputtered for a moment. He regained his ability to speak coherently quickly though. "I didn't disrespect him any more than he disrespected you-"

"Disrespect me? How exactly did he do that, Ronald? By loving me? By letting me love him in return?" I paused for a millisecond before quickly adding, "Don't you think that I am sufficiently able to judge for myself when someone is disrespecting me?"

"How can you love him, Hermione? He is a bloody werewolf! Not to mention that he is also our professor and twenty years older than you! What the hell do you see in him anyway? He's just a bloody pervert, the way I see it." Ron shouted.

I was glad for the forethought to cast another imperturbable charm on my room before they arrived. Perhaps I ought to speak to the Headmaster about making my room permanently soundproof?

"Of all the pig-headed-" I scoffed but Ron quickly interrupted me.

"Pig-headed? Pig-headed?" Ron bellowed, looking back and forth between Harry and me, as if he was waiting for Harry to confirm or deny that he was, in fact, pig-headed. Merlin, he was such a prat!

"Yes, Ronald, pig-headed. Would you like me to spell it out for you, perhaps draw a little diagram?" They were annoying the piss out of me.

Harry interceded and calmed raging redhead before the so-called conversation continued. When Ron was, once again, breathing normally, I spoke my mind.

"What I don't understand is why it is okay with you two that Sirius is seeing Professor Morley, but it's completely out of the question for Remus and me to be together. Explain that to me, please, Harry."

Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, no doubt choosing his words as carefully as possible, Harry attempts an explanation. "Well, it's just that Sirius has suffered so much that I just want him to be happy and he seems really happy since he met Tamara... And she is a professor, not a student."

"Sirius deserves to be happy, but I don't? How about Remus? Does he not deserve just as much happiness as Sirius? He's suffered so much as well. Is his suffering less deserving of happiness just because he didn't spend time in Azkaban? Or is he less deserving because he's not your godfather? Did it ever occur to you that Remus has been suffering everyday for the majority of his life? Did it? Tell me, damn it!"

Harry and Ron were shocked at my outburst, but only for a minute. Ron's face took on an angry, pinched look and I knew that he was about to explode. I tried to brace myself as the proverbial dam broke.

"He is a werewolf, Hermione! A bloody monster! A half-breed who probably isn't even allowed to get married or have children under the wizarding law! He's no good for you... hell, he'll probably bite you during one of his transformations and you'll end up just like him! Maybe that is what you deserve for loving a dark creature!"

Ron barely finished bellowing at me when I began screaming back at him. "How dare you! How fucking dare you!"

My eyes were wet and the tears were building up quickly - It was unbelievable my supposed best-friend just said all of that about someone I loved! I watched, horror-struck, as Ron stormed from the room without a backward glance. The sound of the door slamming shut behind him actually physically hurt.

Staring at the door, I was unsure whether to fall to the floor in heaving sobs, scream my bloody head off, or just throw the first thing I laid my hands on.

What I actually did was turn to Harry and forced myself to speak, refusing to break down in front of him until I knew something. "Is that how you feel, as well? 'Cause if it is, I suggest you leave right now and never speak to me again."

His eyes were wide as he looked from me to the door and back again. I was struggling to keep the tears from racing down my cheeks as I waited several torturous seconds for his response.

"No, Hermione, I don't feel the same way as Ron. I mean, I don't like this whole thing with Remus, I hate it, in fact... but I don't believe any of what Ron said... and you know that he doesn't actually think any of that, either. He's... he's just upset, and you know how he gets."

"Yes, I know how he gets, Harry, but that doesn't make it okay," I replied, my voice breaking with every other word. Ignoring Harry's feelings on Remus for the time being, I continued to deal with the Ron situation. "Why is he so upset anyway?"

Harry eyed me carefully before answering my question and I had the feeling that it was something that I should already know but obviously did not.

"Because he seemed to think that you two would end up together at some point... you know, get married, have kids, the whole happily ever after thing. Now that you are in love with Remus, he seems to think that it will never happen... that you two will never be together."

I was utterly gobsmacked.

Leave it to Ronald Weasley to think something like that and never, ever give me any indication as to his feelings.

Honestly!

"Wh-... how... er... why... gah! I can't even formulate a coherent thought!" I shouted, stomping my foot on the bed.

"I always thought that was what you wanted, too. I mean, you liked him back in fourth year, didn't you?" Harry asked hesitantly.

I mulled over what he said for a bit...

Sure, I had feelings for Ron for all of ten minutes before I realized what an utter prat he could be...

"No, Harry, that was never what I wanted. We were - are - too different... we want different things. It never would have worked out between Ron and I, surely he knows that? Besides, I thought he liked Luna."

We chatted about Ron for a few minutes before the conversation turned back to Remus. Harry was adamant that he disliked the idea of me being involved with Remus. Actually, he made me well aware of the fact that he more than disliked it.

I still didn't understand why, though. I doubted I ever would. Especially since he was unable to really explain to me why it bothered him so much.

I was frustrated that he was unable to accept my happiness and said as much. Sighing, Harry rubbed his face tiredly.

"Forgive me for wanting what's best for my friend. Remus will only hurt you in the end - whether it be physically or emotionally - and I don't want you to have to go through that. Nor do I want to pick up the pieces afterwards. Why can't you understand that we just want you to be happy with someone who deserves you?" Harry said through clenched teeth.

I knew that he meant well, but, even the road to hell was paved with good intentions.

"I'm sorry if you can't accept it, Harry, but I love Remus and I am not going to end my relationship just because you and Ron disapprove. To be honest, it's none of your business and it is a bit presumptuous of the two of you to assume that your opinions would matter in this regard. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to be alone."

Harry stared at me for long moments before shaking his head. He left without saying a word and I was unsure whether it was a good or bad thing. Either way, I was relieved that conversation was over.

Lying back on my bed, I stared at the ceiling and mulled over the events of the past hour.

The audacity that they actually thought that I would change my mind about being with Remus just because they wanted me to was shocking to me.

Then they had the nerve to get mad at me when I refused to bend to their will?

Really, what did they expect by interfering with my life, my happiness? I'd be damned if I let them labour under the mistaken belief that what they think about my relationship with Remus changed anything. Did they even know me at all? When have I ever bent to someone else' will?

I realized, suddenly, that I was forced to make a choice between the boys and Remus, and I chose Remus without a second thought. I mean, I knew at the time that Harry and Ron were basically wanting me to chose to do what they wanted me to - which was break things off with Remus - but when I stepped back, I clearly saw just what that meant.

The boys had been my focus for so long that it was strange to think about how far apart we've grown in the past few months, but I knew now that there was something, rather someone, who needed my help and love more than those two.

Remus needed my help whether he realized it or not... whether he thought he deserved it or not...

The boys had to grow up some more and find their own way for a while before I would lend a hand.

My mind turned to thoughts about the ritual and it was a relief to think about something other than the boys' opinions and actions. I mulled over the whole ritual process for a while and I realized that I might not be able to do this alone, not entirely.

There was one part that I would need help with and there was only one wizard I trusted to do it properly...

I needed to talk to Dumbledore sometime soon... see if he was willing to help me...

I just needed to figure out how to convince him to help me without getting Remus sacked in the process.

'Til next time...