Severus looked up at the clock and began packing up his books and notes back into his bag. It was almost curfew and he was in no mood to explain to anyone, especially his dorm mates, why he was late getting back. Though Severus was sure that by now, everyone knew that he had been paired with the mudblood for a project, rumors would be circulating if he stayed even a hair past curfew with her. 'Besides,' he thought, 'No telling what her boyfriend and his cronies would do to me if there was even the slightest hint of anything.' Then, Severus did something very unlike him; he emitted an audible groan, and a loud one at that. It was then that he saw Granger's head pop up as though startled. She was giving him an odd look and Severus wanted nothing more than to hex it off of her face, he hated it when people gave him odd looks. It was as though he wasn't allowed to show emotion or anything really besides sarcasm and malice. He glared at her as she continued to look at him oddly, "What are you looking at?"

His voice seemed to snap her out of, well, whatever it was, and he watched, slightly amused, as the color seemed to rise in her cheeks for the third time that night. "Nothing Severus, I just wasn't expecting a, well, a groan to come from you."

Severus, fed up and tired, said nothing more to the bushy haired witch and grabbed his now packed pack and began to leave the library. As he walked out, he could hear her calling out to him to meet same time tomorrow. He gave no signal to show that he had heard but he didn't care, all he wanted was for the holidays to come, because then the castle would be nearly empty and he would be the only one in his dorm. He had to suppress a small smile at that thought as he walked down into the dank dungeons.

Hermione walked into the common room and up to her normal spot on the couch. She laid down her head and sunk down into the cushions, wanting nothing more than to sleep for the rest of her life. That, however, was not an option. It was still Monday, that evil day, and she had so much studying and homework to do, she didn't know what she was going to do. She closed her eyes as she felt the cushion beside her dip slightly, and her nose filled with the smell of cinnamon and chocolate. She smiled as she felt Remus lower his head to the point where their lips were millimeters apart and waited for her to move up slightly. Hermione lifted her head off of the cushions ever so slightly and her lips met his in a sweet kiss, however, when Remus tried to deepen it, Hermione pushed him away. She chuckled slightly as Remus looked at her from the end of her feet, as she was lying down on the couch now, a hurt look gracing his face. Hermione just let out a soft laugh, "Remus, your lips are freezing! You've been eating those frozen chocolate frogs again haven't you?"

She watched as one side of his lip turned up ever so slightly, "Maybe."

Hermione laughed as he grabbed her by the arms and pulled her up into a sitting position, then twirled her around and pulled her back so that she was now lying on the other side of the couch, on top of Remus, who was now blowing in her ear and holding her down. Hermione tried to break free of his grasp but he was to strong, 'The wolf in him I suspect.' She knew that he knew that she wasn't a fan of being tickled, especially when she was held down and defenseless. In fact, she was partly surprised that he had even tried again, seeing as how his last attempt had ended up with a trip to the hospital wing for an ice pack for his, well, little general.

After a few minutes of struggling, fighting, and a few reminders of the last time he had tried this, Hermione finally convinced Remus to let her go. Instead, Hermione just lay their, half asleep, on top of a fully alert Remus who was not about to let her sleep. Hermione felt him shift under her slightly and, lifting her up momentarily, he moved so that he was sitting on the couch like normal, feet tucked under him, and moved Hermione so that she was now, once again, lying on the couch, her head in his lap. Hermione let out a big yawn as he began to stroke her hair, "Remus, I think that if you keep doing that, I'm going to fall asleep."

"Well then, go to sleep. You've been tired all day, and I doubt your study session with Snape helped any. Just go to sleep."

"B-but," Hermione put her hand over her mouth, stifling her yawn, "But tonight's our last study night before, well, you know and I probably wont see you much tomorrow."

"I know, but I will be back, it's not as if I'm leaving forever."

Hermione sighed, "I know. I just miss you that's all."

Hermione sat up from his lap, he was right, she should go to sleep, and she just didn't want him to go. She knew what it was like for him now during the full moon, without the wolfsbane potion and all. She knew how painful the transformations were and how bruised and battered he would be when he came back, and she just didn't want to see him like that. She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her head on his collarbone. "I wish there was something I could do."

She felt Remus place his arm on her back and rub lazy circles, "So do I Hermione, so do I."

Suddenly, before she knew it, Hermione had uttered those three little words she never thought she would say to him.

"I Love You."

The two sat in silence, stunned by the words. Hermione slowly picked her head up from his shoulder and raised her head to look him in the eye, though she had not been expecting to say it, she knew she had meant it, with every fiber of her being, and now, she waited on Remus. She looked at his face; he was not looking at her, rather at her pack on the ground, his eyes clouded over slightly. She was starting to get worried, every second felt like an eternity, and with every moment that passed, the lump in her throat grew. Finally, after what seemed to be forever, but had really been barley 45 seconds, Remus straightened up and looked her in the eye.

"I Love You Too Hermione."

Hermione's heart felt as though it would burst. Her face widened into the biggest grin imaginable and she bent down to kiss him, but he evaded her. Now it was her turn to look confused and slightly hurt. She watched as he put up one finger, as if telling her to hold on for a moment. She watched as he took his other hand to his mouth, blow air onto it, and press it to his lips. She watched as he continued to do that a few more times until Hermione finally interjected, "Remus, what on earth are you doing?"

Remus looked back at her and answered as though it was the simplest thing in the world, "I'm warming my lips."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she bent over to him once more, though this time without resistance.

Harry walked towards Professor Lupin's office, it had been almost a week since he had been told and he still had the picture book which he thought he should return, after all, he didn't want Ron to find it; that would just be disastrous. As he neared the office he could hear shouting coming from it. He knew that one of the voices to be Remus, but the other he couldn't quite catch. He walked up next to the door which was open a hair, and listened, trying to distinguish the voice. Then it hit him, it was Snape! But why would Snape and Lupin be having a row in Lupin's office? Harry pushed all thoughts to the back of his mind and concentrated on the conversation.

"You told Potter? You imbecile! Why in the dickens would you tell that boy?"

"Because Severus, he loves Hermione too, he deserves to know where she is and what is going on with her."

From the door Harry could feel the anger radiating off of Snape, "Lupin, tell me that you had one shred of intelligent thought and left me out of your story."

"Yes Severus, of course I did. Harry was already in quite a state as it was, I was not about to tell him about you, he would have tried to stab you in your sleep."

"Good." Harry could hear Snape gliding towards the door and immediately tried to make it look as though he had just walked up to the classroom when the door almost flew off of its hinges as Snape stormed out of the classroom, thankfully going the other way, and missing Harry completely. Harry reached out and knocked on the door, which had closed back on itself when Snape had left, and Harry heard Lupin call him in.

"Um, Professor, I came by to bring you your photo album back, thanks for letting me borrow it."

Harry looked over at his Professor as he took the album with great care from Harry's hands and placed it on one of the side tables. "Harry, you didn't happen to hear any of the conversation I just had did you?"

"No."

Harry watched as Lupin shook his head, muttering something to himself. Harry suppressed a laugh, was it just him, or were people in the castle acting a bit batty lately? He bid the professor good afternoon and left the office, walking once more to Gryffindor Tower. On the way, he passed by the door to the dungeons, and saw yet another strange sight. Blaise Zabini, one of the more active student Death Eaters, was deep into conversation with Ron! Harry shook his head to see if his eyes had betrayed him, but they hadn't. Ron was actually talking to that Git. Then he remembered, Blaise and Ron had been paired up in the Transfiguration project. Relief washed over him, everything was OK, the castle wasn't going batty, just the professors. Harry walked back to Gryffindor tower in blissful ignorance.