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synopsis: Professor Lupin has startling dreams of Hermione, and things become shall we say very...heated. rating: R - content and language warning: Hermione/Remus! If age difference bothers you, do not read! Hermione had gone through the rest of the day with no incident. She had learned little in any of her classes that she hadn't devoured in the textbooks already, but she considered it extremely excellent practice to pay attention most dutifully during lectures. Which is perhaps one reason she felt somewhat unsettled as she walked to the common room that evening, the darkened halls of Hogwarts silent, yet somehow reassuring in their presence. She approached the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was busy powdering her nose. She didn't even bother to look at Hermione. "Password." she said absently. "Jellybean." Hermione responded, her thoughts also elsewhere. It had been a strange day overall and Hermione was glad that there was really no one in the common room when she got in. Ron was probably off with his girlfriend Cho Chang, she thought. It had been a surprise to everyone when they had started going out but it seemed as though the pretty Ravenclaw girl really had a thing for Ron, who adored her beyond measure. And Harry, well, Harry was of course, cavorting around with none other than Ron's little sister Ginny, who had finally dropped her shy act in their fifth year and had gotten Harry hook, line and sinker in only a few months time. They had been nearly inseparable afterwards. She sighed dejectedly and dropped her pile of books on a nearby table. It was somewhat late, around 9:00pm and she had just come back from the library after putting in a few hours of light studying. She plopped onto one of the oversized chairs before the blazing fire and commenced wallowing in her pool of self pity. What was wrong with her? Here she was, a seventh-year student, and not one serious boyfriend. Victor had been great, and she had visited him, but it hadn't felt right to her. He had been too clingy, had wanted too much from her too soon. So she had let them drift apart until he no longer sent owls to her so frequently, and only got in touch with her once in awhile. Kind of like a really awkward pen pal. How depressing. But that wasn't what was bothering her. No, it had been her Defense Against the Dark Arts class, that was really bothering her. The class that morning had been particularly quiet. All of the students knew that Lupin had just undergone his change and it had become customary for them to be rather low key on the few days that followed. The parents of the children at Hogwarts had been enraged when Dumbledore had agreed to hire Lupin back on, but somehow, Hermione didn't know, he had appeased them and the angry letters had ceased. She had her head bent over her parchement, answering the questions on the quiz rather easily when she felt a set of eyes on her. She glanced up and saw Professor Lupin, looking directly at her, his eyes intent, his hands set upon his desk. Even though he was sitting, his whole body simply radiated tension and she was reminded of how a predator looks while stalking prey. She had only looked up for a second when his eyes met hers and he looked away so quickly, that she couldn't be sure whether or not the penetrating gaze she had seen had been real or simply imagined. But after the quiz had ended and the lecture began, Hermione began to be more sure that she hadn't imagined the episode. Lupin's eyes kept wandering over to where she sat, and when she looked up to meet his gaze, he looked away very quickly. She almost smiled to herself, and began to look at the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in a different way. He really wasn't bad looking at all she mused. His always slightly too long sandy colored hair fell around his face and he would often rake it back with his fingers, especially when he was excited about a subject. His eyes were a pale blue-green and she found herself scrutinizing the sharp lines and angles of his jaw and nose. Wait, was she really thinking this stuff about a Professor? About a really good-looking Professor? Well why not? she thought to herself, he seemed to be noticing her, why couldn't she notice him back? Because you're a student and he's a teacher. But not for that much longer she mused. I'm not even underage anymore, since I've already had my eighteenth birthday. But you don't even know if he even notices you, you're basing all of this on one lousy look that you're not even sure was directed at you. She supposed that that was true. But how could she find out? She felt a sharp nudge in her ribs and glared at Ron who was sitting next to her. He glanced meaningfully at Professor Lupin and she realized that he must have just asked her a question. She hated being caught off guard. "I'm sorry, could you repeat the question?" she asked in what she hoped was a clear voice. "Yes, what are the principal differences between the Siberian Red-Tipped Abomination and the Arctic Horned Abomination?" "Oh. Well the main differences are....." she began, she had studied those extensively a week ago. Hermione was left with many questions that night but with no answers. She couldn't get comfortable and restlessly fidgeted in her seat. She glanced at the clock 9:30pm. Not too late for a little walk she supposed, as long as no one found out. Students weren't generally supposed to be out this late unless it was for a detention or a class. But no one was here now and she really needed to clear her head. Suddenly the heat from the fire felt stifling and she rose quickly and exited the common room. Luckily she met no one on her way to the grounds and breathed in heavily when she finally stepped outside. The clear sky overhead was decorated with countless stars and the waning moon gleamed. She closed her eyes and listened to the soft wind and made her way across the grounds, away from the lake. There tended to be too many couples scattered around the lake's edges and she really didn't want to feel more alone than she was already. She was walking along the edges of the Forbidden Forest, lost in thought when she felt a firm hand fall on her shoulder. She gave a frightened scream and spun around. It was Lupin.
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