Disclaimer: Unfortunately, JKR owns everything and I own nothing

2nd May 1998: Hogwarts Great Hall

Remus couldn't believe he had made it out alive. When he had been battling Dolohov, he was sure it was going to be his end.

Earlier that day

Chaos broke out and Remus could feel the grief of losing Harry radiating off everyone on their side. Their faces were hardened with a determination to end what Harry had started. It was a fight for freedom that they all so desperately wanted.

He spotted Hermione in the crowd, the side of her face matted with blood, as she strode forward with a hard, determined look on her face and began battling Bellatrix with Ginny and Luna. Behind her he spotted Dolohov following, a mad glint in his eye as he raised his wand at her back.

A surge of protectiveness flared inside Remus as he leapt forward and sent a stunning spell that missed Dolohov by inches. Dolohov turned to find the source of the spell and smirked when he saw Remus, sending a spell of his own that Remus barely dodged.

Soon they were tangled in a duel, so fierce that it wasn't long before Remus' insides were burning from exhaustion. But Dolohov was relentless and Remus couldn't get a single spell past his wards.

Just when he felt like giving up, the image of Hermione lying lifeless on the floor of the Department of Mysteries, of her lying in St. Mungos for weeks, unmoving with a bright purple bruise blooming across her chest, sprung into his mind. Dolohov had almost killed her. He had almost killed his mate. Suddenly the anger was back, but it was an anger so overwhelming, Remus couldn't control the next spell that fell onto his lips and shot directly above Dolohov's heart, causing him to crumple to the ground lifeless.

Breathing hard, Remus stared at Dolohov's body, hardly believing he had actually done it. Around him the battle raged on, when suddenly a shout echoed around the clearing.

"PROTEGO!"

Remus turned, hardly daring to believe it, because he knew that voice ... but it couldn't be.

But there Harry was, very much alive, staring at Voldemort with a determined look on his face.

The rest they say, was history.

When Voldemort had fallen, the cheering had been deafening. People were rushing forward from all directions attempting to hug the Boy who Lived, the Chosen One who had saved them all. But Remus had stood back, knowing that there would be time later to hug Harry. Instead he searched for Hermione, eager to placate the distressed wolf inside him who wanted, no needed to know she was safe.

He spotted her running forward with Ron, reaching Harry before the crowd could close in and flinging her arms around him. Remus watched as the three of them embraced each other tightly, smiling slightly at the sight. Soon the crowd engulfed them and blocked them from Remus' view, but just the short glimpse of her was enough to calm the panicked wolf.

He watched the crowd for a moment more before he turned to walk away, when suddenly something collided into him from behind, sending him stumbling a few steps forward.

"Oof!"

Trying to regain his balance, he realized that a pair of arms were wrapped around his waist hugging him tightly.

He began to turn to get a look at who had assaulted him, but was met with the faint smell of vanilla shampoo days old, almost completely masked by the smell of sweat, tears and blood. He recognized the smell instantly and could feel the wolf's growing excitement.

"Remus! I'm so glad to see you!" Hermione exclaimed, a smile on her face as she stepped back to let him turn towards her fully.

Remus beamed down at her, trying to ignore the pang that went through him when she released him from her hug.

"You too Hermione, I'm glad you're okay," he said sincerely, his eyes quickly scanning over her looking for signs of any serious injuries. When all he saw were shallow cuts and small bruises he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'll see you later? I should go greet the Weasleys," she said distractedly, looking at something over his shoulder. He nodded and she gave him a final smile before giving his arm a comforting squeeze as she walked past.

He watched her walk off with a sigh. She was gone quicker than she had appeared.

oOo

As Remus sat in the Great Hall, he couldn't shake how surreal everything felt. Just last night they had been fighting for their lives and now ... now they would start the process of rebuilding and the even more difficult process of healing. Remus watched as Kingsley, being authoritative as always, directed Aurors to arrest the Death Eaters who hadn't fled. He spotted the Malfoys among them, looking defeated but accepting of their fate. Many had already fled the moment Voldemort had fallen, knowing that losing meant they would most definitely be spending the rest of their lives in Azkaban. The ministry would have their work cut out for them in the year following the battle.

The Great Hall was bustling with subdued activity, with everyone torn between the grief of losing so many people and the joy of actually having defeated Voldemort. A healing station had been set up at the high table with people lining up patiently to get their wounds treated by Madam Pomfrey with the help of a few students. Everywhere else, families were scattered, clinging to each other as they marvelled at the fact they had survived, while house elves weaved between people serving everyone a cup of hot chocolate.

Remus spotted the Weasleys huddled together on a bench, expecting to see a mane of brown hair amongst the ginger, but she wasn't there. He frowned, scanning the Great Hall for a sign of her.

"She's over there mate," said a voice next to him unexpectedly, causing Remus to jump and spill hot chocolate all down his front.

"Jesus, give a guy some warning Sirius," Remus replied scathingly, scourgifying his robes clean, as Sirius sat down on the bench next to him looking worse for wear but with a grin on his face nonetheless. "Also I have no idea who you're talking about."

He finally found her, standing with Ron and Harry in line waiting to get their wounds healed. His eyes drank her in, noticing she looked much thinner than she had since the last time he had seen her almost a year ago. That time spent not knowing where she was and whether she was safe had been difficult for him, especially around the full moon. His only comfort was that the wolf at least knew she was alive the entire time. If she had died .. he didn't even want to know how that would have felt, but he knew that the wolf would have let him know. He finally drew his eyes away from her to turn to Sirius who was still talking.

"Don't give me that bullshit Moony, you know exactly who I'm talking about," Sirius smirked.

"A certain little bookworm, with hair that looks like it's going to eat us all alive and … who is currently holding hands with a ginger," Sirius finished quietly, a frown on his face as his eyes stared to the side where the trio were standing.

"What!" Remus turned his head so fast his neck cricked, his eyes falling on Hermione who was holding Ron's hand and staring up at him adoringly, while Harry stood watching them with a disgusted look on his face.

He frowned as Ron leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead, bringing his arm around her to pull her securely against his side. The wolf howled in earnest at watching another man being affectionate with his mate.

He tore his eyes away from them, trying to squash down the feelings of jealousy and possessiveness that were threatening to overwhelm him.

"It's better this way .. It's not like she would have dated someone like me. At least with Ron she'll be happy and as long as she's happy .. I'll be okay," Remus said softly with a laugh that had no humour in it. He had lost count the amount of times he had told himself he'd be okay, foolishly believing that if he said it enough times it would become true.

Sirius didn't look convinced, he never did, but thankfully he didn't say a word otherwise. Instead he said nothing, as the two of them sat in silence.

oOo

Remus was about to head back to Grimmauld Place with Sirius when he was approached by Kingsley and Arthur, with solemn looks on their face.

"Everything alright Kingsley?" Remus asked with trepidation, already bracing himself for whatever news they could have for him.

"Yeah, listen we managed to round up a lot of death eaters and they've been sent to holding cells in the ministry to await trial," said Kingsley. "But I'm worried about the ones who've managed to flee."

"Who managed to escape?" asked Remus, wondering what this had to do with him.

"The majority of the main inner circle death eaters are either dead or captured, which is a relief. The Death eaters that fled were mainly newer recruits, people who were probably blackmailed into joining or were offered something in return. I assume they chose to flee out of fear of spending their lives in Azkaban. However .. ," Kingsley hesitated, eyes darting to Arthur for help.

Remus looked between him and Arthur, waiting for one of them to continue.

"Greyback escaped," Arthur said quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear.

For a moment Remus didn't say anything. He had thought that the world was finally rid of that monster and now to be told otherwise, he didn't know how to feel.

"Are you .. ," Remus gulped. "Are you certain? I thought he had been killed."

"We checked the place he was believed to have been killed .. but nothing, no sign of the body," sighed Kingsley. "So until that's found we have to assume he's alive."

Remus nodded, unable to keep the troubled look off his face. "You'll keep me updated on the search?"

"Of course Remus," Kingsley said kindly, before he and Arthur said a quick goodbye before heading off to continue facilitating the Death Eater round up.

Remus stood there as they walked away, the pit of worry in his stomach growing steadily deeper.

A/N: I'm finally back to writing with this new Remione fic, I hope you like it. Please review, it would mean the world to me. I'm excited for where this is going to go and if all goes well I'm planning to update this every week. I'm on tumblr under the user: lumosunicorn31. I'll be posting about my progress on this fic there and it's also the easiest way to reach me. An advanced thanks to anyone who willingly reads this!