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"You don't understand James!"

"I understand that My has been sitting in that Hospital Wing for two weeks and you've been a prick, moping all day, I hardly even see you anymore. Where do you go anyway?"

"The Astronomy Tower," supplied Peter and proceeded to cower slightly at the glare Remus sent him.

"The Astronomy Tower? Surely you have better things to do then cry your heart out on the friggin' tower like some love sick twit of a girl?" Sirius shouted accusingly, disgust emulating towards at his friend.

"Like going to see her!" James yelled equally enraged.

However it wasn't enough to make Remus back down.

"Leave it! You don't know what I've done... what I've done to her..." he finished more weakly than he started.

"And how could you know?" James shouted back. "You haven't even asked about her?"

"I overheard you talking," Remus mumbled at his shoes, slightly defensive. He had cared!

He had wanted to see her...

Sirius scoffed, "I don't know about you Prongs but I've had enough of this whelp."

Remus looked up scandaled. Surely his friends wouldn't desert him!

Not that you deserve any better, he reminded himself dejectedly.

"I'm with you Pads, let's do this."

Confused and distracted Remus didn't have any time to react before two wands were pointed directly at his chest.

"Volubilis saxum"

Sirius smirked as he picked up the rock that marked the spot where his friend had been standing only moments before.

"Hope, you'll understand - we just thought it would be easier this way, you know?" Sirius talked to the rock as he turned it over in his hand. "And don't worry, we tested it out on a few first year Slytherins first, they turned out ... okay."

James laughed, "Don't frighten him. They were fine Remus." He directed this last to the rock.

"Are you coming Peter?" Sirius asked as he threw rock-Remus to James who caught him with a seeker's ease.

"Um... actually I think I might leave this one to you guys. Lily will probably be with My and I doubt she'll be happy with the whole 'rock' thing..." he stared nervously at his transfigured friend.

"Suit yourself," James shrugged and the two left the dormitory, rock in hand, to make their way to the hospital wing.

Peter was right and Lily was with Hermione when the boys arrived.

Hermione didn't see the new visitors straight away as she was bent over the bed organizing her things into a small bag; she had been cleared to leave the hospital wing that day and Lily was there to help her move her things.

Hermione was glad to finally be able to put on some normal clothes rather than having to wear the required hospital gown and had gladly accepted the white button up blouse and the flowing, green silk, knee-length skirt that Lily had brought down for her. Although her leg had stopped it's relentless bleeding it still required thick dressings and it would not only be incredibly painful but probably impossible for Hermione to wear jeans for some time.

She huffed as she attempted to push her hairbrush and slippers into the bulging bag and gave up on the strength of her small hands alone, pulling up her good leg to use her knee as an extra weight to make them fit.

It was the low whistle coming from Sirius Black that caused her to turn around and acknowledge her visitors.

"Nice legs kitten," Sirius smirked watching her amusedly as she straightened up, smoothing out her skirt, and settled a glare upon him.

"Sorry My, I knew I should have brought down the knee high tights too - but Emily said they would look 'dorky' and I -"

"Don't worry Lily, it's just Sirius, the skirt is fine," she sent another glare towards Sirius as he settled on the empty bed next to hers. "Besides I'm only going to be going from here to the dorms. From one bed to another almost."

"Never picked you as a bed-hopper My," James joined the mood of Sirius as he settled next to him on the bed, watching the rock in his hand as he threw it from one to the other.

"Arghh - did you just come down here to inform me it was 'arsehole day' or did you actually come to help me move?"

"Actually," Sirius softened his tone a little at her mood. "We didn't know that you were moving today, not that we aren't thrilled to carry all those books you've accumulated -" he rolled his eyes at the large stack of heavy texts assembled next to her bed.

"But we did bring you a present," James finished before Sirius' sarcasm could infuriate the little witches more so.

"A present?" she eyed them suspiciously, seeing no parcel in their hands.

"Mm-hm," confirmed Sirius as James threw the rock so it landed on the middle of her made bed.

"Umm... you bought me a rock?" She asked delicately as if they indeed consider a rock 'a present'.

"Not exactly ..." started James.

"Although he can be as thick as one sometimes," added Sirius scowling at the rock cushioned by the dip of her bed covers.

"Just try a 'finite incantatem'," James suggested. "But I think we'll be going first..."

Sirius bent down to retrieve a hefty pile of books leaving the other half for James to take, which he did a moment later.

"Come on Lily," James called as they turned away from the bewildered girls and started to make their way from the ward.

"But - but - My?"

Hermione shrugged.

"Go on, I'm sure I'll be okay, whatever it is."

Lily looked unsure but picked up the last of Hermione's things - the small bag - and reluctantly followed the boys out of the ward.

"I'll wait for you in the common room," she confirmed before leaving Hermione alone with her 'present'.

"Finite Incantatem" Hermione whispered pointing her wand towards the rock with already a fair idea of what it was.

Her suspicions were confirmed as a rather rumpled Remus appeared on her bed.

Remus swore as he ran his hands over his form "bastards," he muttered and sure he was referring to his forced delivery she turned away, closing her eyes tight and hugging her arms to her form. The hospital wing suddenly seemed very cold.

"You can just leave, they won't know," Hermione said quietly but in the empty ward her voice seemed much louder.

Remus laughed abstractedly "Do you really think they would have just left us here?"

And sure enough his words were proven as they heard the sound of Lily's voice form just outside the door.

"YOU DID WHAT?"

Hermione stifled a laugh as she imagined the scene obscured to her eyes by the hospital doors.

Her amusement disappeared as she felt warm hands touch her shoulders tentively.

"My?" He sighed when she didn't answer.

She contemplated running away but she doubted she would make it very far with her damaged leg, so she just stayed still, hoping he would leave instead.

To her dismay, and secret joy, he didn't.

His hands left her shoulders and she heard him sit heavily on the end of her bed.

"I'm just so sorry..." he whispered. His words were muffled and she imagined he had covered his face with his hands.

"Sorry that you are here or -" she hissed venomously, still facing away from him, arms crossed against her chest.

"Don't be ridiculous," he dismissed her accusations. "I love you My...I just -"

"You're what?" she spun her heal allowing him to see the unadulterated anger and hurt burning in her eyes. "You were too busy perhaps?" she mocked. "Too -"

"Ashamed. Guilty! Absolutely PETRIFIED!" He yelled louder than her, standing from the bed and advancing on her.

But his anger dissipated as he reached her, gentle arms reaching to cup her face tenderly. "I could have lost you," he whispered fiercely. "I could have killed you."

"It wasn't you Remus -"

"No!" He dropped his hands from her face and closed his eyes in obvious attempt to hide his anger. "You have to understand - this was me! This is who I am. I am the only one responsible for what I do, and I am responsible for all I do, in this form and the other ..." His eyes opened and she was surprised to see them shimmering with unshed tears. "I would have died if I'd lost you," he whispered.

"Remus -" Hermione's voice broke down as she threw herself at Remus' chest. He wrapped her tightly in his arms and breathed in her sweet smell, her dark brown curls tickling his nose.

Hermione knew she should still be mad but the longer he held her the fainter the concept became to her.

Eventually, reluctantly, they pulled away. Remus exchanged their embrace for holding her hands and he led her to sit on the edge of the bed with him. He didn't say anything, but then again neither did she, and they seemed content with their unspoken questions by the answers given in the other's eyes.

Remus was the one to break the moment, sighing he asked, "Can I see it?"

Hermione nodded and used her hands to scoot further back on the bed. She spread out her legs to rest either side of Remus and blushed prettily as he moved his hands gently up her claves.

He pushed her skirt up her legs as he gently caressed her skin, revealing her milky skin inch by inch.

He smiled at her deepening breaths but the smile was short lived as his roaming hands felt the edge of her bandages, just above her knee.

He gently eased her skirt up to reveal the full extent of her bandages and his breath caught as his gaze locked transfixed to the extra layers that wound around her thigh.

"Oh Merlin," he breathed heavily. "And you didn't turn?" he asked turning worried eyes upon her confused ones.

"No," she affirmed cautiously, his expression had almost seemed pleaded for another answer.

"Maybe it would have been better if you had," he muttered softly, but Hermione still heard it.

"What do you mean?" she asked slightly hurt by his words.

He sighed and ran a hand through his messed hair. Hermione thought he looked so much more worn, so much more like the Professor she had met four years ago, and she couldn't help but feel responsible for it.

"I was hoping it was just a scratch," he ran his eyes over the length of her bandaged leg. "But it's not, is it? It's not just a scratch?"

She shook her head when he looked to her for an answer.

"Did Madame Pomfrey know why you didn't turn?"

"No," Hermione supplied. "She said that she didn't know of any cases like mine ... she said she didn't know why."

"And she seemed certain?" he looked a little disbelieving.

"Yes."

"Well I guess she could be a really good actor, or maybe she really didn't know ... not many people would I imagine."

"What is it Remus?" Hermione demanded in a tightening tone. "You're starting to scare me."

"I'm sorry," he smiled moving up the bed to sit closer to her and reaching out to brush a curl out of her face.

"There's only two reasons a wolf bites, Hermione. To kill ... those that actually survive are lucky," he laughed bitterly. "That is, if you can call this curse preferable to death."

Hermione's eyes narrowed as she took his hand, squeezing it firmly within the palm of her own.

"Sorry," he continued. "You know I didn't mean it really... I just ... anyway, the only other reason is to ... to - to mark their mate."

He wasn't looking at her anymore and she guessed, rather correctly, that he couldn't bear too.

She brought her hand out to cup his face and turned his head to face her even though his eyes remained downcast.

"And you think that this is what you did to me?" she asked gently.

"There's no other reason why you wouldn't have turned," he explained practically. If it had been just a scratch ... then maybe not. But it's not a scratch."

"It's the saliva that actually turns the person. If it touches an open wound the curse can enter your system. A werewolf choosing a mate will hold back it's saliva when it marks them. It's a conscious effort and ... it's the only explanation."

"If you have ... what does it mean?" Hermione absorbed Remus reasoning and wanted to understand more fully, this was not what they taught in books.

"For a werewolf ... I guess the most analogous description would be that of marriage. I - I already love you and want you," Hermione smiled at the way he described these things, as they were facts. She pulled his head closer to her chest as he continued the explanation, his breath warm against her breasts.

"But werewolves are possessive, obsessive, I will crave you. I won't want for anyone else. And you ... you won't be able to have anyone else."

He pushed himself closer to her trying to absorb her, or make himself disappear into her.

She didn't press him on his words, sensing his guilt, and resigned herself to ask more on it later.

"I've claimed you as mine but you don't have to be with me forever," he continued. "You still have a choice, I would never take that away from you, and in a way I still have mine ... but I would never choose anyone else anyway."

She pulled him up so she could see the sea blue of his eyes, "Forever is an awfully long time, Remus. But is it really so hard to contemplate that I wouldn't choose anyone else either?"

Remus kissed her head and pulled himself from the bed. "You are young - we are both young. We will see."

"I don't blame you," she stated in a very matter-of-fact way that made him smile.

"I love you," he kissed her again as he bent down to pick her up.

"I know," she whispered back as he lifted her up and proceeded to carry her from the hospital wing.