Disclaimer: Could I own Harry Potter any less? In case you're a little thick, the answer is NO.
A/N: As most of you know, we weren't able to upload anything for two weeks, so that was an excuse not to work quite so hard on this chapter. Hopefully, it is as good as the others, so don't worry about that.
I planned to make the ball scene longer, I swear! However, I was blasted with several fic ideas, and I needed to wrap this up quickly before I abandoned it completely. Don't hurt me! Go and review the other story I've posted (unless you hate Snapefic.)!
And now on with the show…
Time Is A Pretzel
Chapter Eight:
One More Time
"Life is very short
And there's no time
For fussing and fighting, my friends.
I have always thought
That's it's a crime… -"
We Can Work It Out
Hermione went to bed that night, again wracking her mind for any possible memory. The only thing she assumed could be a memory was Remus reaching into a very grimy fish-tank, but that Remus was older, worn out. There was no way that could have been her past. If possible, that was the future.
So she let her mind drift to more pleasant things. Things she knew about.
Remus came first. Tomorrow was Halloween, and Hermione couldn't imagine ever having a happier one. She was going in what might be the most beautiful dress at Hogwarts with the nicest, most adorable, possibly most passionate Gryffindor alive.
Although Lily did seem to enjoy late nights out with James…
Hermione fought to suppress a giggle. Somehow, she couldn't quite see her bubbly, clumsy roommate snogging the graceful, witty boy she had grown to be good friends with (especially after Remus had broken his nose in five places). But then again, Sirius couldn't seem to be able to picture her and Remus snogging either. Oh well. To each his own…
She felt a stab of pity for Sirius. He obviously seemed to be the usual center of female attention, and now he couldn't even get a date to the Ball. However, there was little she could do about it, so she might as well not worry.
With that closing statement, she dismissed all further thoughts of him from her mind.
Little did she know that he was unwilling to do the same.
~
Sirius buried his head underneath the pillows. He had to stop this… She wasn't his girlfriend!
'Come on, old boy! Pull yourself together! You can't have her, and that's that. Leave them alone. You know they're happy…'
His heart squeezed. They were happy. So happy, it seemed that they were destined to last forever. Then she could never be his…
There exists inside every human being, a good conscience, and a bad conscience. It so happens that in Sirius Black, there was a great deal more bad than good. Now, that may have had something to do with being the outcome of his father being from an old Scottish line, and his mother had direct connections with the Italian Mafia. So he had grown up a little pampered… Well, actually, a LOT pampered, and that may have affected his amount of courage, (or perhaps it was over-confidence?), but it didn't truly matter, did it? He still had a little bit of good in him…
At this moment however, the bad was scheming away.
'He's a werewolf, and he's scared he'll hurt her. He'll get over her eventually; he'll convince himself that he's too dangerous for her to get close to. Then he'll dump her. Then she'll need comforting from a close friend who understands… That will be my chance. I just might have to rush things a little, but -'
'No.' whispered the tiny cricket-voice in his chest. 'Remus doesn't get happiness often. Let him enjoy it for as long as he can.'
The tension in Sirius's neck and back loosened, and as he sighed, he began to count sheep. Oddly enough, all of them looked like Severus Snape, and as each one hopped through a Quidditch goal post, it was promptly torn into a bloody rag by a large dog. He grinned. If this was how he'd fall asleep, maybe insomnia could be fun…
~
As the six Gryffindors made their entrance into the Great Hall for breakfast, Hermione stopped and pointed, her mouth wide in both shock and admiration.
Enormous bats swooped across the ceiling, and four giant jack-o-lanterns stood in the corners of the room. All twenty-six of the Hogwarts ghosts were cackling from the beams in the ceiling. Hermione couldn't have been more impressed. This was awesome! No doubt it would be even better tonight, with the lights dimmed, music, and House tables gone.
They took their usual spaces at the Gryffindor table, and Lily and Hermione engaged in a conversation about what to do with themselves before the Ball. Lily seemed to have spectacular ideas for makeup and what to do with Hermione's hair, now that it had returned to its original frizz.
Hermione's fingers laced through Remus's, and she leaned against his shoulder. He buried his face in her soft, coffee-scented hair. He frowned as he thought over what he was planning for tonight. He had made up his mind last night. Now would not be the time to back out…
But he couldn't help but think about changing his mind as she pitched a jelly-laden biscuit at Sirius's face. Strawberries dripped from his hair as he returned the missile with black raspberry.
~
"Oh, Hermione! You look lovely!" squealed Lily.
Hermione blushed, and murmured, "Thanks to you, Lily. I wouldn't look half this good if it weren't for you."
Lily shrugged and added the finishing touches to her own face. "You're naturally beautiful, 'Mione. I just know what to do to bring it out even more."
Hermione hugged her friend around the middle, careful not to wrinkle her friend's costume in places other than deemed necessary.
Blush in one hand, Lily turned to look at her. "Hermione? Can I get you to do me a favor?"
"Sure, what?"
"You know how… difficult Transfiguration is for me. Could you transform my ears into brown rabbit ones?"
Pulling out her wand, she nodded. "Any specifics?"
"Well, worn out, with the left slightly bent, and the right one missing a piece at the tip."
"Two rodent appendages coming right up!"
After Lily had fussed about the height long enough, she begged for a pair of crooked whiskers, buckteeth, and a small pink nose.
Hermione obliged, grateful that she could help her red-headed friend.
Lily pulled on her pair of rabbit-fur gloves, and, linking arms, they walked down the stairs, trying desperately to keep a straight face at the image of an over-sized hare escorting a queenly woman into the Gryffindor Common Room.
~
A frustrated sigh found its way outside of the hat that hung around James's neck. Pulling it up from around his head, he began fanning himself.
"How long does it take to get some make-up on?" snarled Sirius.
"Hey, Sirius? Just shut-up, will you? You're not the one with a sword poking your butt every five minutes." With a violent gesture, Remus drew his sword and pointed the tip at Peter's throat. "You never told us who your date was, Peter. Who's the unfortunate toilet-haunter?"
Peter drew himself up and glared at Remus, perhaps showing the only amount of courage his chubby body possessed. "For your information, Moony, I happen to be going with Bertha Jorkins."
Sirius snorted, and James stuffed the hat back over his head, hoping in vain the thick fabric would muffle his sniggering. Remus merely sheathed his sword, fully well aware that his friends would torment Peter enough on their own.
A small cough caught his attention, and Sirius rocketed out of his chair. Remus followed suit, and James awkwardly stood, fighting desperately to keep the bright green corduroy brim out of his eyes. Lily smiled and hugged him as she lightly brushed his lips with hers.
Hermione hid quietly in the corner. Remus, too stunned to move, was cemented into place by how shockingly gorgeous she was. Always the charismatic, Sirius walked over to her and offered her his arm. Blushing enormously, even in the shadows, she took it and walked into the firelight.
Forgetting all the so-called rules of public relationships, Remus rushed forward, looped his arms around her waist, and passionately kissed her. Sirius reluctantly let go of Hermione's arm and strolled towards the fireplace to stare at a portrait of Godric Gryffindor and his youngest daughter Harmony.
Perhaps it was the sheen on her lips. Perhaps it was that her mouth tasted so sweet. Perhaps it was that Remus felt determined never to be able to forget her for an instant, but whatever the reason, he couldn't seem to stop kissing her. She placed her hand on his chest and applied a light pressure, but Remus didn't want to stop. 'Dig, taste, love -'
"Ahem!" Peter squeaked from behind him. Remus came back down to earth from the cloud he felt he had been floating on, blushing furiously.
Hermione separated his hands from her waist and laced their fingers together instead. She grinned.
"Shall we?" James asked, holding the portrait door open and bowing. Lily had her paw resting in his elbow and was smiling contentedly.
Remus led Hermione out into the hallway, Peter followed them, and Sirius came out last. Peter waved and walked away, and Sirius whispered in James's ear, "Do you think we should tell him he's going in the wrong direction? The Hufflepuffs aren't in the dungeons."
James shrugged, and Lily snorted into her paw. "He'll figure it out," she said with a slight lisp. Buckteeth can be very annoying.
They proceeded to the Great Hall. James and Lily were in the lead, arm in arm, and grinning at each other. Remus and Hermione were second, his arm around her waist and her hand placed on top of his. Sirius shuffled last in line with his head hung.
~
"I'm tired of dancing. Let's go out to that spot by the lake." Hermione took his hand and pulled him towards the door. Remus flashed a grin at Sirius, James, and Lily, who were merrily singing "A Very Merry Unbirthday!" at the top of their drunken lungs. They waved and continued a rendition of "Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!"
"Finally! Alone at last," Hermione sighed, collapsing onto the bench. Remus cautiously perched beside her. She leaned over and kissed his cheek repeatedly, tracing his jaw with her lips. To Remus's disappointment, she started on the bit of his neck that a ruffled collar didn't hide.
"Stop. Please."
She did. He turned to face her and grasped her hands like they were a life preserver in the middle of the ocean. "Hermione, I told you I would trust you with my most important secret." He cast a silencing charm around them. She understood and didn't bother to ask. "And I thought that now would be a good time to tell you, if you're planning on going anywhere with us."
She nodded but still kept quiet.
"Hermione, I wasn't at an Aunt Molly's last weekend."
"I didn't believe you."
"You didn't?"
"You don't even have an Aunt Molly."
"Yeah. Anyway, I was out on the grounds."
"But I was out there looking for you! You weren't there!"
"You didn't see me because you were looking for the wrong thing."
"What should I have been looking for then?"
"A wolf."
"You're an Animagus!" she squealed.
"No, Hermione. I'm not. James, Peter, and Sirius are the Animaji."
"So… you're a - oh no!" She wrenched a hand from his and clamped it to her mouth.
'So she doesn't really love me. I'm not surprised. After all, who could love a monstrous beast?'
He released her hand and reluctantly stood up. "I understand. I promise I won't talk to you in the halls…"
"Oh, Remus!" she cried and stood up to face him. Remus was shocked to find she had thrown her arms around his neck and was sobbing into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry!" howled Hermione, the sounds muffled by his costume. He hesitated and patted her shoulder as gently as he could.
"Where were you bitten?" she whispered after a few minutes.
He paused. Even James hadn't been allowed to see… but James wasn't Hermione. 'I love her,' he thought to himself. 'I need to trust her if I want this relationship to work.'
With that thought coursing through his mind and heart, he began rolling up his left sleeve. Near his muscled shoulder was a large gash, as pink as brand new scar. Hermione instantly felt sympathetic. She reached out a finger and touched it. It was cold, and she pulled back when Remus yelped in pain. "Sorry," she whispered.
"It's okay. It still feels like venom, even if I've had it for eight years."
He covered it back up and removed the silencing charm. "Let's go back? I wouldn't miss Lily hexing James on account of snogging her for the world!"
Hermione smiled and walked with him.
Severus Snape followed behind them. 'What were they talking about?' he thought as he stalked back to the Great Hall, cape fluttering out behind him (A/N: I don't know why, but I always picture him as the Phantom of the Opera…).
~
Several weeks later…
"Where's Remus, Hermione?" Snape nagged her again. She had asked to go to breakfast alone. Remus was under the Whomping Willow tearing apart the Shrieking Shack. Snape had decided to accompany her.
"I already told you! I can't say!" she snapped as she shoved through the doors. He followed her, oblivious to the fact she was leading him towards his worst enemies.
He noticed too late for retreat. "Will you leave her alone, you ugly git?" Black hissed from between his teeth. "Try bothering someone who's not afraid to punch you."
"Let's take this outside," Snape growled. "No need to show that you may wear red on the outside, but on the inside, you're as yellow as a Hufflepuff."
The ultimate insult. Sirius bolted out of his seat, stepped onto and over the table, and put his nose so close to Snape's Hermione couldn't help but wonder how they had room to breathe. "Let's do take this outside. No need to give proof that you have no heart."
Lily and Peter merely shook their heads and continued eating. James stared after them with a worried look on his face. Hermione felt like he looked.
"I only hope he doesn't tell him about…" James whispered. Sirius had been itching to tell Severus for the last few days and see if he would take the bait.
She nodded. There was no need to say anything.
She didn't see Sirius until second period, when they shared Arithmancy. "What did you do to him?" she hissed after Professor Vector had given them time to work on homework.
"Just a few good curses. Don't worry!"
If Sirius was anything, he was a good liar.
~
"YOU WHAT?!" Hermione looked up from her Potions essay just in time to dive out of James's way. After slamming the portrait shut, she walked over to Sirius, who was fuming.
"You didn't tell Snape, did you?" she asked softly, not bothering to restrain the horror from her tone.
He nodded.
Hermione raised her hand and slapped him as hard as she could. "You bastard! You've tried to use Remus as a weapon! Did it dawn on you how much that would destroy him?" she hissed.
Clearly it hadn't. His eyes widened and he gasped, "What have I done?"
"You've ruined several people's lives, Black." She whirled around and raced out of the portrait. James would need help.
After the door shut with the sound of the Fat Lady complaining loudly, Sirius collapsed on the couch. 'What have I done? What have I done…'
~
Snape had managed to escape though unconscious and being dragged by James up the stairs. "Go get Madam Pomfrey," he had gasped when Hermione came rushing out to meet him. She turned and fled back through the halls.
Dumbledore arrived when Madam Pomfrey threw something into the fire and screeched, "Albus! Something urgent has happened!" He stepped through, shook some dust from his robes, and dismissed Hermione with a nod.
She left without a word and hurried back to see if James needed any help.
~
The rest of the year flew by. Soon summer came, and since Hermione had no idea of where to go but a vision of a brick house that hadn't been built yet. So she stayed at Hogwarts. The halls were empty except for the ghosts and paintings, and by September was a good friend to all but Peeves. Agatha Christie played the part of a mother and became a good counselor. Hermione received letters from all of her friends (Severus included - he even wrote her a bit of poetry) and replied to them in great length. She worked to get ahead in her classes. But as they say, "There ain't no cure for the summertime blues."
Seventh year flew by as well. James and Lily were made Head Boy and Girl. There were no more events with Remus, and Severus kept to a group of Slytherins named Rosier, Wilkes, Lestrange, Vache (the last two announced their engagement at the end of the year), and Avery. Hermione was disappointed to see a boy with such promise associate himself with these people, but she didn't feel that it was her business to interfere.
Remus had broken up with her near the beginning of the year. He claimed that it wasn't safe, and he didn't want to hurt her. If they came up with a cure, or something that could make him safe, nothing would keep him from her, but in the meantime… well, he didn't quite see how it could work out. He refused to believe that Hermione could want anything to do with a werewolf outside of Hogwarts.
James would be preoccupied with Lily, and she wasn't comfortable with Remus any longer, so Hermione found a dear friend in Sirius Black. Nothing official ever came of it, but they were hardly seen apart. When Christmas came, they gave her several photo albums of pictures of herself, Lily, and the Marauders. There were several blank pages in the front of each, and she found that it was a sort of inter-active diary. "So you can talk to us, even if we're not there," they explained. She put the books in a room with a large wooden door decorated with iron. They held their private leaving party in this room. No one remembered to take down the decorations, and Dumbledore requested that Mr. Filch not disturb the place. It was in this room that nearly two decades later, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley found their friend lost in the photographs.
Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley never saw her again after she disappeared.
A/N: Condemning cliffie huh? ;D Go ahead, say it: I'm evil, vile (oddly enough, those two words are the same letters!), heartless, cruel, despicable, insensitive, etc. Not to mention, highly addicting, eh? MWA HA HA!
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