just for you diosa alexia :-)
Ch 8
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Hermione awoke to the feeling of a restraint around her midsection. Looking down, she saw that it was a bare arm. Upon further inspection, she found the bare arm belonged to a bare chested man. A man who had her pulled against him tightly. The man, after examining him in the dying firelight, had brown hair that had turned more grey over the years. It was shorter then the last time Hermione had seen the him. The heavy bags under his eyes and the lines in his face had not faded. The weary look that she had grown so accustomed to seeing in Remus during his year at Hogwarts had not left him. Shifting slightly, Hermione rolled to face him. Memories of the night and early morning flowed back to her slowly. After Remus had gone to sleep, Hermione had brewed two potions. One to ultimatly counter act the silver poisoning and one to counter act the wolf that would take over Remus's mind in a few short hours.
A few hours, Hermione realized with a jolt. She had slept longer then she had wanted. Not even remembering laying down, nor the moment the arms had encircled her waist. For a moment, she allowed herself a small smile. 'This, circumstances aside, is a very pleasant way to wake up' she thought with finality. Broken from her reverie when Remus's eyes fluttered open, she smiled again. Seeing him return it eased her nerves. They were out of the woods it seemed.
"Good morning" came his raspy voice, still hoarse from his yelling.
"Mmm..more like good afternoon." She sighed, moving closer to his warm body, hands moving absently over his bare chest.
"If I didn't know any better, Miss Granger, I'd say you were trying to flirt with me." Lupin teased her. When she laughed he placed a kiss on the tip of her nose and rested his forehead against hers.
After a moment she spoke. "How do you feel? "
"I feel like there is a small hole in the side of my body and like I had a very bad run in with Fire Whiskey. Other then that, I feel pretty good. " He said after a moment.
"I'll get you the potion for your pain." Hermione said, starting to move away from his grasp.
"No, stay. I don't need it yet. Stay here." Tightening his grip on her, she relaxed and laid down. Biting her lip she breathed in deeply.
"Remus."
"Hmm?" He was already half alseep.
"Do you know what tonite is?" There was silence for a moment, then realization crossed his face.
"....is it the 17th already?!" He asked, his eyes snapping open."Hermione, you have to go. I don't have my potion...you can't..." but she silenced him with a finger to his lips.
"Shh...I brewed it for you last night.You should probably take it soon. There's six hours until sunset." She felt him nod against her.
"That means we have to get up doesn't it?" he asked with a dispointed sigh. Smiling, Hermione climbed out of his grasp and stood. With a grimace, Lupin pushed himself into a sitting position while he watched Hermione move to the fire side. There were two large cauldrons. One was bubbling and steaming. 'the wolfsbane potion' he realized after inhaling deeply. The other he was curious about. "What's that one?" he asked as he motioned to the smaller of the two cauldrons.
"'This is a potion that completely neutralizes any remaining traces of the poison from the silver. You must not have been stabbed too long before you stumbled out here. What happened?" she asked as she poured each potion into a seperate goblet. She handed Lupin the wolfsbane potion first. He took it and made a small face.
"I was in Hogsmede. Remeber back in your 3rd year? When Snape let slip what my true nature was? Well it seems someone recognized me and wanted to express their displeasure with my..condition. You would think that after 5 years, something would have changed. It's a pity I supose, but one cannot expect the world to move aside for an easy passage." He examined the goblet in his hand and then raised it slightly. "Cheers" he said and then gulped it down. The next thing Hermione heard was Lupin sputtering and when she saw the face he made she couldn't help but laugh. Without a word he handed the still smoking, but empty goblet back to Hermione who replaced it with the other one. Lupin sniffed at it slightly and gave Hermione a questioning look. When she nodded he shrugged. 'Bloody hell.' He drank it and waited for a repulsive taste. When there was none he was relieved.
"Are you hungry? I brought some food from the village but I'm afraid it's gone a bit cold."she asked after a moment. Lupin nodded and Hermione turned to open the packages from the tiny pub. Hearing a grunt behind her, she turned and saw Remus attempting to stand. Moving quickly to him, she took hold of his arm and pulled him gently up. He wavered a bit for a moment and then seemed to find his balance. There was a slight chill now that he was out of the warmth of the blankets and he crossed his arms over his chest.
"I had to destroy the robes you were wearing. I couldn't risk you getting sick from any silver that was still on them. I saw a closet out in the hall and I think there might be some clothes still in it. I'll go get you something. At the very least there could be another blanket."
"Thank you." Lupin said. Hermione nodded and took hold of Lupin's hand. She guided him to a small table and a single chair. On the table was the cold food from Hogsmede and a few bottles of butterbeer. Making sure that Lupin was alright, Hermione turned and walked out of the room. Down the hall she did indeed find a closet full of old robes and blankets. She gathered several in her arms and returned to the small room. When she entered she saw Remus standing before the firelight, examining the wound on his side. His fingers moved around it carefully. As the fire reflected off of his skin, Hermione saw many different scars crisscrossing his chest and arms. Frowing slightly, she moved to stand behind him. Gently she brought up a robe and slid it around his shoulders. Remus turned and smiled at her. They didn't say anything, just stood there enjoying the warmth of the fire and the closeness. Finally Lupin broke the silence.
"It's been a long time since that day you stood in my office. Since we made the promise. Not a day went by where I didn't think about it..about you. After the years passed, I started to think that I might not see you again, that you had forgotten me. Part of me was happy...but the other part of me wanted to find you so badly. I needed to find you. And then..you found me when I needed you."
"I missed you." She said nothing more. There was no need. Suddenly the loud chiming of an ancient grandfather clock sounded 6 times. It was 6 PM. Sunset was in an hour and a half. The sound was a bitter and defening reminder. "You better eat Remus. You need to keep your strength. " Nodding at her, he took her hand in his own and led her to the table.
They sat down and shared the food quietly. Not speaking. Their hands would touch accidentaly, sending shivers through both of them. The butterbeer worked quickly to fix that. And then they would do it again. Each time more deliberatly. Finally all of the food was eaten and all but three of the bottles had been drained. Settling in front of the fire, Remus watched Hermione relight it. Then she settled next to him, in his arms again. They sat in silence and the minutes dragged by then raced then dragged again. Too soon Hermione felt herself being shaken awake. She had fallen into a light sleep against Remus. Looking up, her eyes questioned him.
"It's time" It was said simply, quietly. Remus placed a gentle kiss on Hermione's forehead, squeezed her hand and walked out of the room. She heard the sound of a door looking not long after he had exited. Settling into the arm chair, she waited for it to begin. The moon was cresting the trees outside the window when she heard the first groan from the room down the hall. Sighing, Hermione setteled in for the long night.
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Ch 8
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Hermione awoke to the feeling of a restraint around her midsection. Looking down, she saw that it was a bare arm. Upon further inspection, she found the bare arm belonged to a bare chested man. A man who had her pulled against him tightly. The man, after examining him in the dying firelight, had brown hair that had turned more grey over the years. It was shorter then the last time Hermione had seen the him. The heavy bags under his eyes and the lines in his face had not faded. The weary look that she had grown so accustomed to seeing in Remus during his year at Hogwarts had not left him. Shifting slightly, Hermione rolled to face him. Memories of the night and early morning flowed back to her slowly. After Remus had gone to sleep, Hermione had brewed two potions. One to ultimatly counter act the silver poisoning and one to counter act the wolf that would take over Remus's mind in a few short hours.
A few hours, Hermione realized with a jolt. She had slept longer then she had wanted. Not even remembering laying down, nor the moment the arms had encircled her waist. For a moment, she allowed herself a small smile. 'This, circumstances aside, is a very pleasant way to wake up' she thought with finality. Broken from her reverie when Remus's eyes fluttered open, she smiled again. Seeing him return it eased her nerves. They were out of the woods it seemed.
"Good morning" came his raspy voice, still hoarse from his yelling.
"Mmm..more like good afternoon." She sighed, moving closer to his warm body, hands moving absently over his bare chest.
"If I didn't know any better, Miss Granger, I'd say you were trying to flirt with me." Lupin teased her. When she laughed he placed a kiss on the tip of her nose and rested his forehead against hers.
After a moment she spoke. "How do you feel? "
"I feel like there is a small hole in the side of my body and like I had a very bad run in with Fire Whiskey. Other then that, I feel pretty good. " He said after a moment.
"I'll get you the potion for your pain." Hermione said, starting to move away from his grasp.
"No, stay. I don't need it yet. Stay here." Tightening his grip on her, she relaxed and laid down. Biting her lip she breathed in deeply.
"Remus."
"Hmm?" He was already half alseep.
"Do you know what tonite is?" There was silence for a moment, then realization crossed his face.
"....is it the 17th already?!" He asked, his eyes snapping open."Hermione, you have to go. I don't have my potion...you can't..." but she silenced him with a finger to his lips.
"Shh...I brewed it for you last night.You should probably take it soon. There's six hours until sunset." She felt him nod against her.
"That means we have to get up doesn't it?" he asked with a dispointed sigh. Smiling, Hermione climbed out of his grasp and stood. With a grimace, Lupin pushed himself into a sitting position while he watched Hermione move to the fire side. There were two large cauldrons. One was bubbling and steaming. 'the wolfsbane potion' he realized after inhaling deeply. The other he was curious about. "What's that one?" he asked as he motioned to the smaller of the two cauldrons.
"'This is a potion that completely neutralizes any remaining traces of the poison from the silver. You must not have been stabbed too long before you stumbled out here. What happened?" she asked as she poured each potion into a seperate goblet. She handed Lupin the wolfsbane potion first. He took it and made a small face.
"I was in Hogsmede. Remeber back in your 3rd year? When Snape let slip what my true nature was? Well it seems someone recognized me and wanted to express their displeasure with my..condition. You would think that after 5 years, something would have changed. It's a pity I supose, but one cannot expect the world to move aside for an easy passage." He examined the goblet in his hand and then raised it slightly. "Cheers" he said and then gulped it down. The next thing Hermione heard was Lupin sputtering and when she saw the face he made she couldn't help but laugh. Without a word he handed the still smoking, but empty goblet back to Hermione who replaced it with the other one. Lupin sniffed at it slightly and gave Hermione a questioning look. When she nodded he shrugged. 'Bloody hell.' He drank it and waited for a repulsive taste. When there was none he was relieved.
"Are you hungry? I brought some food from the village but I'm afraid it's gone a bit cold."she asked after a moment. Lupin nodded and Hermione turned to open the packages from the tiny pub. Hearing a grunt behind her, she turned and saw Remus attempting to stand. Moving quickly to him, she took hold of his arm and pulled him gently up. He wavered a bit for a moment and then seemed to find his balance. There was a slight chill now that he was out of the warmth of the blankets and he crossed his arms over his chest.
"I had to destroy the robes you were wearing. I couldn't risk you getting sick from any silver that was still on them. I saw a closet out in the hall and I think there might be some clothes still in it. I'll go get you something. At the very least there could be another blanket."
"Thank you." Lupin said. Hermione nodded and took hold of Lupin's hand. She guided him to a small table and a single chair. On the table was the cold food from Hogsmede and a few bottles of butterbeer. Making sure that Lupin was alright, Hermione turned and walked out of the room. Down the hall she did indeed find a closet full of old robes and blankets. She gathered several in her arms and returned to the small room. When she entered she saw Remus standing before the firelight, examining the wound on his side. His fingers moved around it carefully. As the fire reflected off of his skin, Hermione saw many different scars crisscrossing his chest and arms. Frowing slightly, she moved to stand behind him. Gently she brought up a robe and slid it around his shoulders. Remus turned and smiled at her. They didn't say anything, just stood there enjoying the warmth of the fire and the closeness. Finally Lupin broke the silence.
"It's been a long time since that day you stood in my office. Since we made the promise. Not a day went by where I didn't think about it..about you. After the years passed, I started to think that I might not see you again, that you had forgotten me. Part of me was happy...but the other part of me wanted to find you so badly. I needed to find you. And then..you found me when I needed you."
"I missed you." She said nothing more. There was no need. Suddenly the loud chiming of an ancient grandfather clock sounded 6 times. It was 6 PM. Sunset was in an hour and a half. The sound was a bitter and defening reminder. "You better eat Remus. You need to keep your strength. " Nodding at her, he took her hand in his own and led her to the table.
They sat down and shared the food quietly. Not speaking. Their hands would touch accidentaly, sending shivers through both of them. The butterbeer worked quickly to fix that. And then they would do it again. Each time more deliberatly. Finally all of the food was eaten and all but three of the bottles had been drained. Settling in front of the fire, Remus watched Hermione relight it. Then she settled next to him, in his arms again. They sat in silence and the minutes dragged by then raced then dragged again. Too soon Hermione felt herself being shaken awake. She had fallen into a light sleep against Remus. Looking up, her eyes questioned him.
"It's time" It was said simply, quietly. Remus placed a gentle kiss on Hermione's forehead, squeezed her hand and walked out of the room. She heard the sound of a door looking not long after he had exited. Settling into the arm chair, she waited for it to begin. The moon was cresting the trees outside the window when she heard the first groan from the room down the hall. Sighing, Hermione setteled in for the long night.
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