"Mione-chan!" Saiyaka whispered in her ear. "Earth to Mione-chan!"
Hermione shook her head and turned to attention to the black board and stout green robed Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, who impatiently tapped his foot.
"Kind of you to join us, Snape-san," he rolled his eyes. "Care to see if you can demonstrate a Counter Curse without Okasha-san hissing in your ear?"
"Yes, Kaname Sensei," she nodded.
Saiyaka deflated in her chair and the class sniggered. Hermione gingerly approached the front of the class, keenly aware of Inuyama whispering to her friends and giggling. She stood stiffly at the front of the classroom ready for Kaname to cast on her. She wondered what curse she was supposed to counter.
Kaname didn't speak, but moved his wand in a circular motion, something she recognized from before. She thought back to binding the troll in first year and her father's binding of Remus and Sirius. This wasn't identical but similar.
She had to act immediately, would she have the energy to completely dispel it? Don't freeze, she told herself before a sudden flash of inspiration came to her.
"Kathreftis!" she cried, mimicking Kaname's movements.
The black tendrils erupted from his wand before shooting back out at him, binding the stout man from head-to-toe.
Kathreftis, ancient Greek for mirror. It'd just come to her and she was thrilled to see that it worked. So much time studying the foundations of magic, to put it into practice to make something of her own..it felt exhilarating. She couldn't wait to write to Luna about it when she got back to her dorm.
Luna's mum died during spellcraft…perhaps I shouldn't.
Hermione remembered how dangerous it could all be. How volatile magic was, and just how completely mad she must've been to try something like that on a teacher. Or anyone. There was a reason spells had to be registered, there was a reason she'd studied the fundamentals…Her sudden triumph turned to shame.
"Shizai itashimasu!" Hermione quickly bowed as deep as she could while staying on her feet.
Kaname freed himself and glared. Short as he might have been, he still loomed over Hermione once he found his feet. A chill travelled down Hermione's spine as she wondered what he'd do.
"Stay after class, Snape-san."
"Yes, sir."
Hermione took her seat and shrank when she saw Saiyaka's drained face and wide, staring brown eyes. "Mione-chan," she whispered.
Hermione waited for class to finish, certain the letter home would bring her father to pull her from the program in all his rage.
Before class ended, Saiyaka tried to give her a reassuring smile, but her shaking hands poorly hid her worry. She left Hermione alone with a rightfully angry Kaname.
"There is no excuse for what I've done," Hermione bowed her head. "It will not happen again."
"No, it won't," Kaname peered down at her. "I don't know if you panicked or were showing off, and I don't care. Any use of untested spells is unforgivable."
"Yes, sir," she kept her head down.
"I'll see you Saturday after classes for detention and confer with Yamato-sama Sensei what further action is needed."
Hermione swallowed and all but rushed out of the room when she was finally dismissed.
Why did I volunteer for this? Is it too late to back out? Severus stood by the door of Remus's office with him wondering when the change would come.
Remus sat opposite him on the floor in a binding circle, nervous, but also drowsy from the potion. He looked at his clasped hands, and Severus wondered why he was there once more. How much comfort was he really providing if Remus couldn't even look at him?
Or if I can't look at him once the change comes…He gripped his wand more tightly and wished the man hadn't convinced him to do this.
"If you're not comfortable with this, Severus, you don't have to—"
"Did you not ask me to do this?" he spat.
"Yes, but–"
"Then it's fine."
Remus's pale green eyes ventured to connect with his. "I want you to choose this, Severus."
How the hell was he supposed to respond to that? Who in their right mind would choose to lock themselves in a room with a bloody werewolf, even with precautions? Severus liked the man well enough, but this was…The man had been transforming for the past twenty-five years, why should he ask for emotional support now? What a ridiculous thing to do, and should he break through the circle? Well, then Severus would suffer the same fate.
Yet when Remus looked at him like that, like his company was the only thing he wanted, it was hard to say 'no'. It was as if simply being with him made the difference somehow, and Severus cared.
Whatever the hell this was, he had to admit, it was more than sex, but it didn't feel like love either, not the way it was with Lily—or rather the way he pined.
"I'm not here at wand-point, Remus," he said, his tone softening.
"That's not what I–" he shook his head. "Thank you."
Those were the last words spoken between them that night. As the room grew darker and silver moonlight streamed through the opening between the drapes. Severus clutched his wand and stared at the scrawning, greying man in rags before him.
Remus first slammed his body into the floor, curling into a foetal position so that all Severus could see were his balled fists and the top of his balding, greying head.
So it begins…
A sickening crack echoed through the room as Remus's body began to contort in unnatural ways, his bones breaking and resetting. Hairs sprouted over his skin and his spine elongated, and twisted.
Remus snapped his neck upward in a sudden violent gesture and let out a cry of agony as his teeth extended from a burgeoning muzzle. It wasn't long after that when the man before him was replaced with a very large grey wolf howling at the moon.
Yellow eyes opened and fixed on Severus. Hungry and fierce, with a trained intensity he remembered too well from that fateful night all those years ago.
Severus trained his wand on the werewolf, ready to do what was necessary and then—it circled around itself, wagging its long, fluffy tail and laid on its belly. The same yellow eyes he once thought hungry and full of malice stared at him half closed as it—as he—panted happily.
What the hell? I guess the potion worked.
The w–Remus reached a paw out near the barrier, as if reaching for his hand, and lowered his head. He made sounds not unsimilar to a happy labrador before drifting off into a peaceful sleep, his eyes only leaving Severus once they were fully closed.
Severus's body slumped against the door as he finally let himself breath again. Every muscle in his body relaxed but his mind wandered.
Would Remus remember that? Was the transition back to a human as painful as the initial one? Would he dream of wolf matters or human ones?
And was it curiosity, pity, or sympathy that led him to stay there for the entirety of the night?
Hermione leaned her head against Hiro's chest. The two were in his dorm with only Mochi, Hiro's calico cat, for company. She purred contentedly in Hermione's lap while Hiro soothed her shoulders.
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Hiro assured her "I can talk to Osufusan and persuade him to let you stay if it isn't."
Hermione pulled away from him and looked down. "I-I-I-erm–I don't want you to put yourself out there for me, Hiro. It's not fair to Sam and the other international students."
"But-" Hiro sighed and lifted her face. "Okay. We'll deal with whatever as it comes. At least tonight it's only us."
Hermione stared up at Hiro, losing herself in his hazel eyes once more. He was always so optimistic, his pronounced canine flashing with a reassuring smile, and his messy black hair embodying his carefree, sunny, disposition. She wanted to believe looking up at him it would all be fine.
Nothing seemed to matter when she was with him. Right now, at least, the voice in her head finally shut up and Hiro was the only other person in the world, no, the universe.
Only us, Hermione liked the sound of that. No meddling teachers, no voices, no compulsions or nagging thoughts. Nothing mattered but losing themselves in each other.
Hiro lowered his mouth to hers, wrapping her in his arms.
Hermione's heart pounded and pushed the thought that she wasn't good enough along with the rest down. She leaned into the kiss, and was surprised when Hiro surpassed her fervour leaning forward into her. Hermione in turn let him lead, laying back on the futon and an entirely new feeling came over her. Something exciting and scary…
Hiro suddenly pulled back, very pink, looking away. "Mi-chan.. I–this is the first time—I think this is all I'm ready for."
Hermione was torn between relief and disappointment. She certainly didn't think she was ready for…well for that. But she couldn't be sure if Hiro simply wasn't ready or if she'd done something wrong.
A tangle of new feelings crowded her head, but she was definitely sure of one thing, she adored Hiro. His comforting speech, his humour, his interest in magical girl manga and cats, his sincerity and sense of justice. She loved him, she was certain.
"I'm thirteen, Hiro," she said softly. "I'm far from ready–I–erm–I think at least. I just want to be with you."
"Me too," Hiro smiled awkwardly. "Is it weird I think you're cute when you blush?"
This only made Hermione blush harder and awkwardly giggle. "I might think the same about you."
Hiro smiled, laying down next to her and taking her hand.
Your hand is so warm.
"Your hand is cold," he whispered. "I think I might warm it."
Hermione bit back a giggle and failed. It seemed she couldn't hold back her emotions with Hiro or Luna, even when it was rude not to.
Hiro laughed too, more hardily and pushed his forehead against hers. "I've been reading too many shojo manga. I know that was bad."
"It's cute," Hermione smiled. "I'm awkward too. Especially around you."
Hiro sighed. "You're not the only one. Years of letters and coming to you for everything, I think you know all my deepest darkest secrets."
"Surely not all."
Hiro shook his head. "Every single one. There's nothing I can't tell you."
But I've kept so many… Hermione looked away, ashamed. "There is something I want to tell you. Actually it's better if I show you."
Hermione sat up and inhaled sharply, keenly aware of Hiro's eyes on her. He looked confused, quirking his head to the side. The pink faded to its usual olive and his expression became serious, though he still was gentle and encouraging.
"This might take a while," Hermione admitted.
It wasn't as hard as this time around. She simply shut her eyes and urged herself to become a cat. When she opened them, Hiro sat towering over her, cautiously venturing to scratch behind her tufted ears.
"Y-you're an animagus?" he said. "That's incredible, I don't even know how you'd start something like that and—you're so tiny and cute!"
Hermione purred, rubbing her face against his hand.
"I think your secrets win," he chuckled. "Got anything else?"
Hermione transformed back and smiled up at him, twitching her ear—twitching her ear!
"Gah!" she lifted her hand to her ears and examined her bottle brush tawny cheeks grew hot. "Erm—that—I thought I had—oh, no!"
Hiro laughed and gently touched her ears. "It's okay, I think I like it."
"Y-you do?" Hermione blinked.
"Well, nothing beats the original," he said, leaning in. "But I like this too."
Hermione met him halfway, and his kiss melted her worries. Until she heard the sound of a door sliding in its tack.
"Gah!" she cried quickly bundling herself in the blanket, so that all that was exposed was her face.
"I'm back," Toshio called before looking at the two of them. He nervously adjusted his glasses. "Am I interrupting anything?"
"Of course not," Hiro smiled, picking up his volume of Advanced Spellwork Theory . "Just studying"
"I–erm–I got cold," Hermione faked a shiver to sell it.
"Okay…" Toshio nodded. "I–er–just forgot my ink. I'll be off."
Hermione and Hiro collapsed in relief once Toshio left, laughing.
If the night transformation was bad, the morning was worse. Remus's body contorted and contracted, he cried in agony as his body returned to human form. The cracks, the screams, and grasping at the ground made Severus want to turn away, but he watched with bated breath until all that lay in the protective circle was a shuddering man gasping for air.
Severus questioned whether Remus would remember the initial transformation, but there was no doubt in his mind that the return to human form was burned in the poor man's memory.
You go through this every full moon? I knew but I never really thought about it.
Severus tapped his wand against the protective circle and broke the enchantment before kneeling by his side.
Remus reached out to Severus's hand and looked up at him, teary eyed. "Thank you."
Words failed Severus, and he opted to sit next to him, stroking his arm.