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Waiting
Hermione was in a field picking wildflowers. They were beautiful shades of purples, yellows, pinks, and blues. She was making a bouquet for her mother. After collecting as many flowers as she could fit in her pudgy little hands, she ran over to the blanket where her mother lay propped up on one elbow reading a book.
The mother set the book down at the sight of her approaching daughter. When Hermione handed her mother the flowers, her mother made a rather large display of smelling and otherwise admiring the flowers. Then she stood up, and scooped her small child into her arms hugging her tightly to her breast.
A moment later, the child found herself being put down. Her mother began walking looking back ever few steps as the small girl followed. But the mother got faster and faster, and Hermione could not keep up. The poor girl was running as fast as she could, yet she lost sight of her mother.
She fell to her knees sobbing; she was all alone, she had been left all alone. Through her tears, she could hear something approaching. Fear began to hold the girl, as she was so alone and did not know what pursued her. She shut her eyes tight; maybe if she couldn't see it, it would go away.
Something wet, warm, and, cold all at the same time nuzzled the back of her neck and she was no longer afraid. The small girl turned to be greeted by something that looked like a large grey dog. She stood and greeted this majestic creature by placing her hand on its head and petting it gently. The dog made its way to her side and she knew what it wanted her to do.
It wanted her to sit upon its back. Thinking it best not to upset a wild creature, she complied with its demands, climbing onto its back much in the way women used to ride horses. The Dog set off with its side saddle rider and walked a good far distance. It soon brought Hermione into a small grove of trees, and in the middle of the trees, was a small lake.
The girl's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the figure in the lake, it was her mother! Her mother stretched her arms out to the girl, and the girl stepped off of the dog into the water. Reaching her mother she smiled contently, she would be safe forever now!
Hermione rolled over onto her side. Flowers, fields, wild dogs, what strange dream! Nothing bizarre or frightening, but strange none the less. One of Hermione's deep honey eyes opened a sliver and informed her that it was morning. She stretched, yawned, sat up, and laid back down. Five more minutes couldn't hurt. Besides, Remus wasn't even up making the breakfast yet.
Three loud bumps came from some where to the wall on the left of her bed. Why do people always have to knock on your door at the most inconvenient times? However, it suddenly hit her that there was no door in the living room. It is simply impossible to knock upon a door that is not there.
Sitting up, Hermione realized that she was in a room much akin to the one she stayed in as Head Girl at Hogwarts, yet many times more elegant and splendid. It was then that she remembered that she had just spent her first night as a teacher in the Hogwarts castle. A smile came to her tired face; she liked that thought very much. The knocking came again.
"Hold your horses, I'm coming!" she said as she grabbed her dressing gown and covered her night clothes. Opening the door revealed a fully dressed Remus Lupin.
Remus had been waiting at the door of Hermione's room for a few minutes. One thing for sure the girl could sleep through anything; well anything except the smell of the breakfast he usually made back at his place. Back home, he thought as it had started feeling more like a home since Hermione came and added little things to brighten the place up. She had certainly made the house a pleasant place to live, by her added touches; he was quick to add the last part, yet not as quick to believe it the only reason.
But this morning, Remus did not have any home cooked food with which to draw the girl out of her sweet slumber, so he resorted to banging on the door to her quarters. As he was raising his arm to attempt a third knock, the door opened.
Remus smiled at what he saw. Hermione had opened the door and was wearing her dressing gown inside out over her night clothes. One side of her hair was sticking up slightly, having obviously been the side of her head she favored most the night before, and her eyes were still half shut. He thought that she looked simply lovely, rather cozy.
He stepped into the room and hugged the half-asleep girl saying, "Good morning sunshine!" in a manner that was altogether too bright for the half asleep girl he found before him.
Hermione replied with something that sounded like it could have been the word 'right' but was otherwise inaudible through her yawn.
Remus laughed, "I fear that I have let you sleep too late this summer. But be not afraid my friend, for I bring you a powerful magical drink, full of the greatest magic known to man, guaranteed to wake you up in no time!"
Hermione skeptically took the mug that Remus offered her, no matter how good a cook he was, his talent certainly did not extend to brewing potions. She looked in the mug and found-
"Coffee!?" she exclaimed.
"You were expecting some kind of magic potion? Don't be silly! Come now, drink up. Breakfast will be ready shortly and you are bound to be late."
"I think I'll skip breakfast today, Remus."
"Very well, I however will not miss my three square meals a day," he patted his stomach before continuing, "I will see you later. Adieu!" But before he exited, he cheerily wrapped his arms around his friend and gave her what he told him self was a friendly peck on the cheek and nothing more.
Had Hermione been fully awake she would have wondered at his soft lips as the touched her cheek, but being half asleep, she merely accepted it. She smiled as she watched Remus leave the room; at times he could be more entertaining than even Ron and Harry; at lots of times.
She showered and then busied herself about getting dressed. She remembered that she had to go into Hogsmede today with Professor Irving. In her wardrobe, she found a plain pair of kaki pants and pink top that she put on as well as a clean cut pair of white tennis shoes. There was no point in looking too fancy, yet she wanted to look nice. Her robes went on over this and she examined herself in the mirror. Debating for a few moments, she finally decided to put on some light pink lip gloss. Make up wasn't her thing, and she didn't fell like she needed it. But for some reason, she wanted to wear lip gloss today.
Finally satisfied with her appearance, she left her room. She walked down to the Great Hall, where she found Professor McGonagall.
"Ah! Hermione! Well don't you look pretty! I'll go see if I can find Mr. Irving for you alright? You wait here." Minerva left before Hermione got the chance to say anything.
Hermione sighed, seeing quite clearly through Minerva's intentions. Well maybe it wouldn't be bad, he was quite handsome after all and he must be intelligent to be a professor. Hermione was sure that she could learn to like him. But he's nothing like Remus. In an attempt to ignore the though that had popped so randomly into her head, she began wandering slightly.
Somehow, she found herself in front of the library. The doors were closed.
"It doesn't open this early until the term officially starts, I know, it makes me sad too."
She turned around to see Remus who involuntarily smiled when she looked at him. She smiled back in much the same manner. It came all on its own, not like the forced smile she would put on when seeing some one she knew on the street. "Hello Remus," she said fondly.
"You look quite lovely as usual," he complimented causing a slight pink color to rise to Hermione's cheeks. It made her look even more beautiful, and Remus found himself wishing that he were the one accompanying her today, not Irving. He wanted nothing more than to take her hand and tell her not to go with him, that she was making a mistake.
Stop it you old fool! She belongs with someone young and attractive like her.
But shouldn't those things not matter? Shouldn't the only thing that matter be love?
Do you honestly think she could ever really love you? An old werewolf?
This was true; a young, beautiful, talented girl like Hermione didn't belong with an old battered werewolf like himself. Besides he couldn't ever have anyone, especially not some one he cared so much about. "Well I expect you will be leaving soon." He said with word that took a great effort to produce.
"Yes, actually, as soon as Minerva finds Professor Irving, we are supposed to leave." Her eyes found the floor; she couldn't look at him at the moment.
"Right, well I'll see you later then." He turned to leave, and Hermione watched as he walked a few paces away from her before she said,
"Remus!"
"Yes!" he said turning around eagerly and walking back hoping that he didn't seem too jovial at the fact that she had called him back.
"You, you're sure you don't want to come?" she asked softly.
He couldn't do that, this was for her own good. "No," he said as he looked at the floor and shook his head, "You go on."
He did not see her eyebrows almost touch in confusion as she turned saying, "Alright."
As he heard her steps receding, he looked up to watch her go. Before he could stop himself-
"Hermione!"
"Yes," she turned around all together too quickly in her mind and returned to him all too willing. He was bound to see that there was more hiding inside of her than what she let out, and he couldn't find out, it would ruin their friendship. She could never stand to lose Remus.
Remus looked into her sparkling eyes. Why did he do that? What should he say? Think, think! "Have fun," it was stupid and he knew it.
"Oh okay," her eyes glanced down disappointedly. Well what had she expected him to say? She saw his feet turn and leave once more. No she didn't want them to go. But its not like he could ever be satisfied with a young thing like herself. Yet still-
"Remus!"
Once again he turned around and came back, closer this time.
"Yes, Hermione?" his voice was soft, just above a whisper. He hadn't even realized that he had taken hold of Hermione's elbow until he saw he look down at the touch. Slowly her eyes rose to meet his own, their faces inches apart, and-
"Hermione?" cooed the soft elderly voice of Professor McGonagall.
Remus took a quick longing look down at Hermione's lips. "You should go," he gently stated.
Hermione nodded in agreement. She gazed up into his eyes with a look he could not place. "Good bye, Remus."
"Good bye, Hermione."
She took a few slow steps backwards before turning and quickening her steps.
Remus leaned up against the wall with his eyes closed and his head turned up an expression of both confusion and a new kind of pain tracing his features. He heard the main door of the castle open and shut again. A large amount of air was exhaled from his body before he returned sadly to his room.
The old snowy hair mage who had been watching from a balcony one floor up turned away and walked to his office.
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So what do you guys think? I wont torture them forever, I promise! Only for a little bit more! I already know when/how they are getting together! But you are just going to have to wait for that. Ohh! Brilliant idea for Dumbledore's motivation for his almost creepy and stalker-ish behavior!! But sadly, that will have to wait until the end after everything sorts its self out, as I plan to stick to JK's tradition of having Dumbledore being aloof. I like him that way! He simply knows too much to be any other way.
Oh and the dream, is of her when she was six, its not an actual memory though. It is not prophetic but it is basically symbolic. Let me know I need to interperate the dream k?
THANK YOU to all of my reviewers! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! You guys r what make this all worth while!!!
Hope you enjoyed this chappie! Don't forget to review!
(I know it was short, the next one will be longer I promise)
If u like this one, check out Façade! My other precious!! Are you allowed to have two preciouses? Oh well, I do! ^_^
~Atiannala