AN/ Big thanks to April Grey for beta services and thank you for reviewing.

Comfort Part X

Rebellion b : an instance of such defiance or resistance

****

Remus pulled on his trousers and put his finger to his lips.  Hermione nodded and buried beneath the pile of covers on the bed.  Walking quickly over to the door, Remus opened it to find Arthur and Molly standing there.  "Arthur, is something wrong…"

He was interrupted as Molly pushed by him.  Remus looked at Arthur warily, noting the flushed, angry glare on his face.  "If I could have a word with you in the kitchen, Remus…" Remus glanced at Molly and started towards her as she approached the bed with deliberation.  Arthur's hand on his arm stopped him. 

Molly reached the bed and jerked on the pile of covers.  Hermione gasped as she saw the furious looking face of Mrs. Weasley and attempted to cover herself as the cold air hit her naked body.  "Get dressed Hermione!" Molly said, her lips tight.

"Lupin, come with me.  We need to talk," Arthur said quietly.

"No," Remus said calmly, turning to look Arthur in the eyes.  He saw the anger in them and he was surprised he didn't care.  "If we are to talk, then we 'all' will talk.  Whatever you have to say to me and whatever Molly wants to say to Hermione, will be said to both of us."

"Lupin," Arthur's voice was tight, his face turning red.

Molly and Hermione came over to the men.  Remus felt Hermione's distress and he reached out to take her hand, ignoring Molly's red face and before she could start he spoke smoothly.  "If you are going to yell at me, Molly, I suggest that we take it down the hall to the study so we won't awaken Mrs. Black."

"Fine," she said through clenched teeth, grabbing Hermione's upper arm and jerking her away from Remus.  They all followed Remus down the hall.

Molly motioned Hermione to take a seat and Arthur pointed to a chair on the far side of the room for Remus to take.  Apparently neither Weasley planned to sit as they stood between them.  Molly's head swept back and forth looking reproachfully at each of them.  "Arthur," she said her voice high, "I think you need to find out what happened."

Arthur nodded and cleared his throat.  He looked at Hermione and then turned to look at Remus.  "How long has this been going on?"

Remus looked at him steadily. "That is between myself and Hermione, Arthur.  Surely that is not the question you wish to start with?  I shall help you.  'How could you Lupin?  What were you thinking shagging a child?  Are you insane?'  Does that help?" he said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"How dare you!" Molly shrieked, but Arthur held up his hand to quieten her. He turned to look at Hermione who sat there curled up in the chair, her eyes wide.

"Did he force you?"

"No, of course not.  It was mutual," she said in disbelief.  "Remus would never…"

"But he did.  Don't you understand?  Hermione, you are underage and no matter if it felt consensual it was still rape."

Hermione felt the anger surge through her.  "NO! I told you it was mutual and I am of age to choose to have –to have –sex if I so desire." She felt her cheeks flaming.

"It could not be mutual; he is an adult and you are just a child."

Her mouth opened though nothing came out.

"You heard what she said, Arthur," Remus said defensively, hating the shame and hurt Hermione was feeling.  "It was mutual and really none of your business."

"None of our business?" Molly shouted.  "The child is under our care while she is here and I thought you were to look out for her welfare also.  How could you hurt her so, Remus?" Molly's face crumpled and she let out a sob.

Remus flinched. "I apologize, Molly, if I have not lived up to your expectations, but I did Hermione no harm."

"No harm?" Arthur said incredulously.  He shook his head and looked at Remus sadly. "You have lost my respect, Remus."

"For that I am sorry, Arthur, but I will not ask forgiveness for what I feel for Hermione."

"Merlin sakes man! She is just a child!"

"No," Remus gaze locked with Hermione's.  "She is much more than that," he said softly.

"I want you out of here, Remus," Arthur said quietly.  "I will not have you under this roof."

"I understand."

"Why?" Hermione cried. 

"I will not have a child molester under the same roof as my children, Hermione."

Hermione's eyes flashed fire. "He didn't molest me!  I am old enough…"

"It's alright Hermione," Remus said softly, standing now.  "I cannot stay here anymore. It will be better this way."

Hermione watched helplessly as Mr. Weasley escorted Remus out of the room.  With much trepidation, she looked at Mrs. Weasley who had sat down.   Instead of anger Hermione saw only hurt on Mrs. Weasley face.  "I'm sorry," she tried, not sorry about Remus but that she had caused the look on Molly's face.

"I know Hermione," Molly said sadly.  "I remember how it is to be sixteen and in love."

That caught Hermione off guard. "If you know I love Remus why are you and Mr. Weasley so angry?"

"That is just the point, Hermione.  If you were as mature as you think you are, you would know why.  Remus is an adult. He is old enough to be your father, a young father, but your father nevertheless. I knew he fancied someone but I never dreamed it was you."

"You thought it was Tonks," Hermione guessed.

"Maybe.  But that doesn't change the fact that you betrayed our trust Hermione.  Even if you had experimented with sex with one of the boys, being under our roof…"

"It isn't your house," Hermione interrupted, feeling indignant.

"No," Molly said, her lips tightening again. "However, while you and the other children are here, you are my responsibility.  How would your mother react?"

Hermione was silent.  She wasn't sure her mother would react much differently than Mrs. Weasley, even though she had always been open with her about sex.

"Hermione," Molly said, "I just don't want to see you ruin your life.  What if you got pregnant?"  She looked at Hermione, trepidation on her face. "Please tell me that you at least used a contraceptive charm."

"Yes, we aren't fools," Hermione huffed.

"That's a matter of opinion.  You are too young for such carrying on, Hermione, and I am sure your parents will agree with me.  I plan to owl them tomorrow."

She started to open her mouth to protest, but Hermione knew it wouldn't do any good. "Fine.  If there isn't anything else, I want to go to bed."

Molly eyed her for a moment. "Yes, of course.  And Hermione, I would appreciate it if you would not fill my daughter's head with fancy about your late night treks."

Hermione flushed, feeling like a scag. "No, I will not spoil your daughter, Mrs. Weasley.  Good night."  Hermione got up and raced out the door. 

It wasn't until she started up the stairs to the third floor that the tears started.  She tried to stifle her sobs as she entered the bedroom and crawled into bed, feeling miserable.  Burying her head in her pillow, she let the anger and hurt out.

 "Hermione, are you okay?" she heard Ginny's voice by her bed, then felt the bed sag as Ginny sat down. "Did someone catch you and Remus?"

"What?"

Hermione lifted her head to stare at Ginny who had lit the small candle on the table.

"I know Hermione," Ginny explained, "with you sneaking out every night.  I knew you were going to someone. I thought at first you were seeing Harry, but then I remembered how Remus carried you and put you to bed the first night we were here.  I started watching and saw the little secret smiles you and he shared, how your face lit up whenever he came into a room.  I am right, aren't I?"

Hermione nodded.

"So how bad was it?"

"They caught me undressed in his bed," Hermione said with a groan.

"Oh, I wondered about that," Ginny said grinning. "If you and Remus had, well you know.  But I figured you weren't staying up all night talking."

Hermione tried to smile but hiccupped instead. "Oh Ginny, your dad was so angry.  I have seen your mum angry, but Mr. Weasley scared me.  He has a quiet anger that seems to permeate you."

"I know," Ginny said.  "I have only seen him like that once and I hope never to again.  So what did they do?  I mean they can't punish you, it's not like you are their child."

"Your mum said she was going to owl my mum in the morning and your dad threw Remus out."

"Oh."

"Mrs. Weasley made me feel like—well a harlot.  Told me I was ruining my life and would ruin yours, too, if I told you anything about Remus and me.  I know that it is proper to wait until you're married, but Ginny –I don't know it's hard to explain."

Ginny snorted.  "Don't let her pull that rot on you.  Charlie and Bill told us all about her and dad.  They married the day after she graduated from Hogwarts."  Ginny grinned, "and Bill was born seven months later."

Hermione eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yep.  She tries to make us believe he was just early.  He weighed nine pounds, Hermione.  Aunt Gertie says Bill was almost three weeks late."

Hermione giggled with Ginny, then quickly sobered.  "I know she was just concerned about my welfare, Gin, but I love Remus."  She gasped. "Do you think they will kick him out of the Order for this?"

"Surely not," Ginny said firmly.  "He is one of the best people they have.  I have heard Dumbledore and dad speak about Lupin and they figure without him they would be hard pressed to keep one step ahead of Voldemort."

Sighing, Hermione felt a bit better.  Still she couldn't help thinking of how horrible it must have been for Remus and wondered how the rest of those in Grimmauld Place would feel if they found out.  It was easier for her; they could always blame it on hormones and excuse her because of her age. 

"Your dad," she said slowly, "called Remus a child molester."

Ginny's mouth fell. "I am sorry, Hermione.  I wont pretend I understand it all, but I know Remus always seemed to be the one who played by the rules and whatever happened between you two—well, I know you and you do not do anything lightly.  I am sure it will all work out."

"Perhaps," Hermione said half-heartedly.  She gave Ginny a hug.  "Thanks."

****

Hermione was very glad to be back at Hogwarts.  She sat at breakfast looking forward to class.  When the post owls flew in, she glanced nervously at them.  It was too soon to receive a post from her parents, but when a small gray owl flew down, landing on her spoon, she felt her stomach sink.  Taking the letter from the owl, she recognized Remus' handwriting and chided herself for thinking it had been from her parents.

Leaving the table, she walked hurriedly to her Arthimacy classroom so she could have time to read Remus' letter before class began.

Hastily she opened the letter.

Dearest Hermione,

Are you all right?  Foolish question I suppose, for I know you are alright, though I wish you had not had to go through what you did last night. I wish I could have spared you.

I, for one, am glad that this happened.  It put into perspective what I have been denying these past two weeks.  Hermione, you must realize that what we have, what we have been doing, is not going to work.  Arthur was correct.  I am the adult and should behave like one.

Please know that I love you. I love you as any man does a woman, but you are still a child and I cannot expect anymore from you than that.  I realize that first love is intense at your age, but it is for the best that we end it now.  Again I know it is my fault.  I created this that night in the kitchen and I am torn between wanting to apologize for that and holding it fast to my heart.

Take care and turn your attention to your studies, which I have no doubt you will.  In time, you will understand and be grateful.  If you ever need me, I will try to be there.

Feel free to write.  I am staying in my old family home and it is safe to owl from here.

You will always be in my heart and thoughts.

Remus

Hermione stared dumbfounded at the letter, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.  How dare him. How dare he decide that she wasn't mature enough to choose whom she loved.  She was torn between wanting to put her head on the desk and crying her heart out or tearing the letter to shreds in anger.  The decision was made for her as Professor Vector entered the classroom, greeting Hermione fondly.

****

Hermione skipped lunch and went to the library to respond to Remus.

Dear Remus,

Are you all right?  I do not believe you are.  You are feeling guilty over what happened last night, but only about the fact of being caught.  I did not feel any guilt when you were making love to me.

How dare you decide for me that I am incapable of loving you because of my age.  I find that insulting and more than that, it hurts. 

You asked me if I were all right.  I am not all right.  How can I be when the person I love and have chosen to love, regardless of circumstances, has brushed me off?  Was that all I was to you Remus?  Just someone to have sex with?

Hermione flinched as she wrote that sentence but she was determined to let him know how hurt and angry she was.

That wasn't fair was it, but it is not fair that you are the only one in this relationship, and yes, it is a relationship, to decide if I am capable of loving you. 

I do love you, Remus, and I realize that we may not be a couple forever, but then again who knows.  I only hope you will give us a chance to decide where this is going, my age be damned.

Love,

Hermione

Feeling satisfied with what she had written, Hermione took her letter to the owlery before she had to rush to Transfiguration.

****

The week passed without any letters for her and Hermione was becoming melancholy.  She supposed that perhaps Remus truly wanted to end it with her, correspondence and all.  Finally, Saturday morning she received not one, but two owls.  Her heart leapt as she recognized the small gray owl and then fell as she saw Errol.  Apparently her parents had finally responded to Mrs. Weasley's notification.

"What's mom writing to you for?" Ron asked, picking up Errol and feeding him a bacon rind.  The old owl hooted gratefully. 

"I owled her and asked her if I had left one of my books at Grimmauld Place, which I found later," Hermione said casually. "Probably just wrote to tell me she hadn't, which of course she couldn't have."

Hermione turned her attention to her letter from her mum thankful her parents did not have the capability to send howlers. 

She scanned the letter and breathed a sigh of relief.  Her mum had written that she was very disappointed in her for embarrassing Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and for having illicit relations in a guest's house.  Her mum had gone on to say she had hoped that she, Hermione, would have waited until she was older to experiment with her sexual feelings.  Hermione got the impression her mother wasn't angry at this, but with being caught by the Weasleys.  What had been a relief was that Mrs. Weasley had not told her mum who she was with, only saying it wasn't with any of her sons or Harry.   Her mum went on to say that she didn't want Hermione staying with the Weasleys any more if the boy she had been with was there. 

Don't have to worry about that mum, she thought sarcastically.

Her mum had ended by saying she had not told her father, that men couldn't understand these things about their little girls and that she knew Hermione would be wiser in the future about this.  Though Hermione had signed up to stay at Hogwarts during the spring break, if she wanted to come home to talk about this, she would be glad to discuss it with her woman to woman.

Good old mum, Hermione thought, her heart thumping as she opened Remus' letter.

Dear Hermione,

You are correct.  Forgive me for assuming that your love is immature.  If anyone is immature in this relationship, it is I. 

If you are willing to try, then I most definitely want to. 

Take care and write soon. I will write more later.

I love you,

Remus

PS My owl's name is Chadrick.  He is very happy to finally have letters to deliver.

Though the letter was short, Hermione's face shone with happiness as she tucked her letters away, gave Chadrick her cereal, and followed Ron and Harry to class.