Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot on this fanfic and a couple
or more characters you certainly won't find in the HP books so when I say
anything I mean anything! Heck, I don't even own this computer! I'm just
renting it until I get my own. So please bear with me if my updates are
slow? ^___^;;;
Spoilers: You'll know 'em when you see 'em! ^o^v!!!
Author's Note: Enjoy!!! ^__~*
Chapter Two: Shocking Revelations
"Morning, Hermione!" Ron greeted her as he walked passed her to reach for a slice of toast on the table.
"Morning." She greeted back with a wan smile on her face but she tried to hide it as she reached for coffee.
She saw Remus was already up and fiddling around in the kitchen along with everybody else. She caught his eye and smiled at him. She was confused when he smiled briefly and then looked away, frowning. She was glad to see, though, that he seemed well rested albeit his condition last night. The spells she did to remove the after effects of the firewhiskey proved to be effective enough and nothing in his demeanor showed that he was in any amount of strain. Or maybe it was just due to the fact that he was a very controlled person. He didn't look sleepy, unlike her.
She was still feeling sluggish. She waited for Remus to come back because she wanted to talk to him about some crazy suspicion she had when Harry was thrashing in his sleep last night. It was a dark suspicion she didn't want to think about but must not discount as a highly dangerous possibility. She had been wanting to talk about it with someone for weeks now but she was afraid she will ruin the happy mood everyone was in. They all needed the security. Maybe that was the enemy's prime goal was after all. To lull all of them into this false sense of security. She thought she must be going paranoid but... what if she's right?
Hermione looked back at Remus and watched him as he perused the pages of the Daily Prophet and was again assailed by what she witnessed last night. She had to admit that seeing him lying down on the floor was the last thing she expected. It broke her heart to see him so miserable. But she was already expecting this deep down. Was surprised, in fact, that it took him this long to really express his grief over Sirius' death.
She held back a sigh as her thoughts assailed her. She had been observing him since they met again the summer she, Harry and Ron came back here in Grimmauld place in their sixth year. She knew that, of everyone in the whole household, Remus had to be the most affected over Sirius' death although he was so much better at hiding it. Other than Harry, of course. But Remus loved him like a brother! Sirius was the only piece of belonging he had! And now he's gone.
Hermione couldn't condemn him for his actions but couldn't help being confused as to why he acted in such a manner all of a sudden. What triggered all that penned up emotion inside him to burst out like that?
"Morning, all." Harry greeted all of them groggily as he entered the kitchen and trudged to the table to help himself to a plateful of eggs.
"Morning, Harry!" Ron and Ginny greeted him in unison.
Hermione smiled at her friend and suddenly understood.
Harry's seventeenth birthday. Of course. Last year, Remus wasn't there when Harry celebrated hs sixteenth birthday. He was away on a mission for the Order. He was spared from the pain of reliving the last time Sirius was able to celebrate Harry's birthday right in this very kitchen. Hermione's heart broke again as she glanced at the two. Both of them have suffered so much already! When will all of this end?
Remus tried hard to control himself but his traitorous eyes kept moving to catch glimpses of Hermione from across the table. He watched in rapt attention at the way she blew delicately at the hot coffee before her lush looking lips closed over the rim. His eyes turned smoky and dark (though he was not aware of this) as a mental image of those lips closing on his that way assailed him. He swallowed. The longing was so strong that he felt his lips move in response to the imaginary kiss... Then, catching himself, sharply looked away. His heart beating a mile a minute.
Damn it! Damn him!
Wanting someone like this will be detrimental. For her... For him! It was utter foolishness that he would bother to hope for the impossible. To see her act of kindness as anything else other than an act of human compassion! He should ignore this. Ignore her! He wished he could go somewhere— anywhere else— that can take him away from here. From her before he totally lost it! She was insanity. A sweet kind of insanity that would make anyone fall into the pits of hell willingly. And, though he may not be completely man or beast, he was still just that. Anyone. Though few would really recognize or appreciate that little fact.
His eyes snapped uncontrollably towards her again as he heard her laughter. A healthy robust laugh that came straight from her heart. No holding back. Just as she did everything else.
Just as she might love a man some day, he thought bitterly. She laughed again at what Ginny was saying next to her and he noted the amazing glow of life and purity on her skin. She was so vibrant. Vivid. Young. And he had no right to touch her, although that did not stop him from wishing he could.
It was wrong to want anything like this. Like he was going to die if he didn't at least imagine her touch on his skin. Like he can do anything just so she'd allow him within touching distance of her. It was so wrong. It was wrong for him to want anything, period! It would only make him bitter and wonder why he was still struggling to be alive when he can't even have what he wanted most.
His throat tight, Remus stood up and left the breakfast table. Wanting to put a little distance to arrange his carefully built resolve that melted the instant Hermione entered the room. He was walking down the corridor, heading towards the stairs when he heard her call out to him from behind.
"Remus? Can I talk to you?"
He felt his heart stop... then it started beating wildly again. He made sure his face showed nothing as he turned to face her. His voice calm and sure and courteous, wondering if she was going to talk to him about last night. "Yes? What is it, Hermione?"
She smiled. "I saw the lunar chart last night and the full moon seems to be coming up soon. Since Professor Snape isn't here, I might as well brew you some Wolfsbane potion. I got permission from him last night through owl."
For a moment, Remus was speechless but he retained his calm. "You can brew Wolfsbane potion on your own? Won't something go wrong?"
She pulled a frown. "For your information, Remus Lupin, I am top of my class in Potions even if Professor Snape will never admit it. Besides, do you really think he'll give me permission to brew the potion unobserved if he didn't trust that I can do it properly?"
Remus smiled dryly. "Well, you never know. Severus and I never really had a chummy kind of relationship. Maybe he's hoping you'll poison me unintentionally. It makes a perfect kind of irony if you think about it."
Hermione frowned some more and glared at him but he clearly saw the hurt in her eyes. "I wouldn't be confident enough to offer to brew the potion for you if I wasn't sure that I can really do it you know. I would never hurt you."
He clenched his jaw and looked away. "Maybe you should."
There was silence between them where he felt her eyes boring holes into his face. He couldn't tell what she was thinking. In actuality, he didn't even want to know. Finally she broke the silence and her answer shook the foundations of his newly found resolve. "You deserve better than that."
He felt like scum. He didn't mean to sound so ungrateful but the words just seemed to fly out of his mouth. Born from this deep frustration that was eating him inside. He should continue on like this. Make her hate him until she went away. But the longing inside him broke through his vise like grip on reality and preferred to drown in the insanity that was her. He couldn't make her go away. He didn't even want to.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Thank you, Hermione." He finally answered her. To divert her intent attention from him, he changed the subject with his usual courteous calm. "But it seems Severus has forgotten to leave ingredients as well."
She smiled. Remus was again assailed by the unfairness of fate. He couldn't even look at her smile without curling his fists to keep himself from touching her. "Don't worry. Professor Dumbledore left me some galleons so I can buy what I need from Diagon Alley. If you'll come with me, I'm sure we can set things up in here quick enough."
He smiled at her, hiding all his innermost feelings behind it. "Alright. We can leave now if you want."
"That's great!" she said. "I'll just get dressed up and I'll meet you down here, k?"
Remus nodded and watched her run up the stairs happily.
Such happiness is not for me..., he thought grimly as he looked on...
*/*/*/*/*
The streets of Diagon Alley were full as usual, but the underlying tension that assailed it last year has dissipated. Everything seemes to be back to normal since Harry's defeat of Voldemort last term. The question is... were they really safe?
These thoughts flooded Hermione's mind as she walked through the potions ingredients store, carefully selecting the freshest and the best ingredients there were. From what she saw in Moste Potente Potions, ingredients for this particular potion are to be carefully chosen. The pudgy little store clerk were giving her suspicious little stares as she went from shelf to shelf but as soon as her purchases were completed and paid for, the store clerk started beaming at her.
"Thank you, pretty mistress, please come back again." The store clerk intoned happily reminding Hermione of a house elf. "Please excuse me for my behavior earlier. Another customer came here a few days ago and robbed me, you see."
Hermione smiled at her sympathetically. "What was stolen? You're inventory looks fine to me."
The clerk's face became somber and leaned over the counter to whisper to her. "The little thief stole all my dragon's blood and manticore's skin!"
Hermione's eyes widened a little. She knew that dragon's blood can restore strength among everything else though it was rare and quite expensive. Manticore's skin, on the other hand, can be used to heal mortal wounds in an instant. Why would anyone want to steal those? Unless they're desperate fugitives, that is.
The clerk saw the comprehension in her eyes and took delight in revealing a bit more. "I think the same little thief took an Essence Sphere from Knockturn Alley last night too. Suspicious thing is, the store owner didn't even put up much of a fight. Practically gave the thing away."
Hermione's ever working brain started ticking. She read about this item before. "An Essence Sphere? The one that can trap human essence and store it inside?"
The store clerk nodded approvingly at her. "I'm glad someone else knows a bit about that although I'd advise you not to come close to one. Truly dangerous they are."
"What is the Ministry doing about it then?" Hermione asked.
The clerk snorted. "They said it was the work of petty thieves."
Hermione nodded absently and began to walk towards the door. She was just too full of crazy suspicions! "Thank you." She said before stepping outside.
Remus smiled when he saw her and quickly divested her of her burdens. She smiled albeit a little distractedly. Remus noticed her unease and surprised himself for it. Was he that attune to her thoughts or was it because he's been watching her a bit too closely for his own good?!
"Hermione? Are you alright?"
Hermione smiled at him distractedly as she walked ahead of him. "Of course I am."
Remus raised one of his eyebrows at her skeptically. "Then why are you acting like you've got something up your sleeve?"
Hermione's smile widened at focused solely on him but her eyes and voice were grave as she spoke. "If I tell you, will you promise not to call me crazy or laugh at me and think I'm being paranoid? Oh, and you have to promise that you won't tell anybody else about this."
Remus gave her a bemused frown. "Why would I even think of doing that?"
Hermione chuckled grimly as she led him to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. She and Remus ordered three scoops of special triple chocolate fudge ice cream with cherries served in a glass bowl and platinum ice cream spoons. She smiled at Florean Fortescue when he served them their treats.
"Oh, its you, Hermione! A bit early to go shopping for books, is it?" the kindly man asked her jokingly.
Hermione laughed. For as long as she can remember, she, Harry and Ron made it a point to visit this ice cream parlor whenever they came to Diagon Alley. It was easy to grow fond of the kindly old wizard who owned it. "It's never too early to go shopping for books, Mr. Fortescue. At least not for me."
Mr. Fortescue smiled at her fondly. "Silly child. It's high time you devoted yourself to a boyfriend instead of solely burying your nose in a book. Has Harry and Ron asked for you yet?"
Hermione laughed harder but she was blushing now. "They're my best friends! Why would they even want to ask me out? I'm sure they'll be busy with girls this year what with defeating the Dark Lord and all. I don't have a chance!"
Mr. Fortescue raised surprised eyebrows. "Ah, bite your tongue, silly girl! In case you haven't noticed, you're a beauty! Those two are blind if they couldn't see that!"
Hermione's blush deepened a bit as she shook her head.
"He's right you know." Remus interjected before he could stop himself. "You are a beauty."
There was something so wistful about the way he said that she just had to look up, but he was smiling at her. As friendly and warm as ever. She ignored it and smiled, not noticing the way Mr. Fortescue's eyebrows climb up another notch but remained quiet.
It must be an effect of my paranoid brain, she thought.
Hermione smiled and made introductions. "Remus, this is Mr. Florean Fortescue. He owns the ice cream parlor. Mr. Fortescue, this is Professor Remus Lupin. He used to teach at Hogwarts. The best Defense Againts the Dark Arts teacher ever!"
The elderly wizard shook his hand and Remus was glad he wore the new robes Hermione sent him last Christmas.
"Nice meeting you, sir! Been hearing a lot of good things about you from these kids. Oh well, got to run. Customers waiting, you know? Just call if you need something, Miss Hermione. The coffee's on the house." He gave both of them a bright smile before walking away.
They sat there for a few moments, enjoying their sweets before Remus finally broke the ice. "You were going to tell me something?"
Hermione helped herself to another spoonful of ice cream before finlly deciding to speak up. She took in a deep breath and spoke in a very low voice. "I think Voldemort is still alive."
*/*/*/*
Spoilers: You'll know 'em when you see 'em! ^o^v!!!
Author's Note: Enjoy!!! ^__~*
Chapter Two: Shocking Revelations
"Morning, Hermione!" Ron greeted her as he walked passed her to reach for a slice of toast on the table.
"Morning." She greeted back with a wan smile on her face but she tried to hide it as she reached for coffee.
She saw Remus was already up and fiddling around in the kitchen along with everybody else. She caught his eye and smiled at him. She was confused when he smiled briefly and then looked away, frowning. She was glad to see, though, that he seemed well rested albeit his condition last night. The spells she did to remove the after effects of the firewhiskey proved to be effective enough and nothing in his demeanor showed that he was in any amount of strain. Or maybe it was just due to the fact that he was a very controlled person. He didn't look sleepy, unlike her.
She was still feeling sluggish. She waited for Remus to come back because she wanted to talk to him about some crazy suspicion she had when Harry was thrashing in his sleep last night. It was a dark suspicion she didn't want to think about but must not discount as a highly dangerous possibility. She had been wanting to talk about it with someone for weeks now but she was afraid she will ruin the happy mood everyone was in. They all needed the security. Maybe that was the enemy's prime goal was after all. To lull all of them into this false sense of security. She thought she must be going paranoid but... what if she's right?
Hermione looked back at Remus and watched him as he perused the pages of the Daily Prophet and was again assailed by what she witnessed last night. She had to admit that seeing him lying down on the floor was the last thing she expected. It broke her heart to see him so miserable. But she was already expecting this deep down. Was surprised, in fact, that it took him this long to really express his grief over Sirius' death.
She held back a sigh as her thoughts assailed her. She had been observing him since they met again the summer she, Harry and Ron came back here in Grimmauld place in their sixth year. She knew that, of everyone in the whole household, Remus had to be the most affected over Sirius' death although he was so much better at hiding it. Other than Harry, of course. But Remus loved him like a brother! Sirius was the only piece of belonging he had! And now he's gone.
Hermione couldn't condemn him for his actions but couldn't help being confused as to why he acted in such a manner all of a sudden. What triggered all that penned up emotion inside him to burst out like that?
"Morning, all." Harry greeted all of them groggily as he entered the kitchen and trudged to the table to help himself to a plateful of eggs.
"Morning, Harry!" Ron and Ginny greeted him in unison.
Hermione smiled at her friend and suddenly understood.
Harry's seventeenth birthday. Of course. Last year, Remus wasn't there when Harry celebrated hs sixteenth birthday. He was away on a mission for the Order. He was spared from the pain of reliving the last time Sirius was able to celebrate Harry's birthday right in this very kitchen. Hermione's heart broke again as she glanced at the two. Both of them have suffered so much already! When will all of this end?
Remus tried hard to control himself but his traitorous eyes kept moving to catch glimpses of Hermione from across the table. He watched in rapt attention at the way she blew delicately at the hot coffee before her lush looking lips closed over the rim. His eyes turned smoky and dark (though he was not aware of this) as a mental image of those lips closing on his that way assailed him. He swallowed. The longing was so strong that he felt his lips move in response to the imaginary kiss... Then, catching himself, sharply looked away. His heart beating a mile a minute.
Damn it! Damn him!
Wanting someone like this will be detrimental. For her... For him! It was utter foolishness that he would bother to hope for the impossible. To see her act of kindness as anything else other than an act of human compassion! He should ignore this. Ignore her! He wished he could go somewhere— anywhere else— that can take him away from here. From her before he totally lost it! She was insanity. A sweet kind of insanity that would make anyone fall into the pits of hell willingly. And, though he may not be completely man or beast, he was still just that. Anyone. Though few would really recognize or appreciate that little fact.
His eyes snapped uncontrollably towards her again as he heard her laughter. A healthy robust laugh that came straight from her heart. No holding back. Just as she did everything else.
Just as she might love a man some day, he thought bitterly. She laughed again at what Ginny was saying next to her and he noted the amazing glow of life and purity on her skin. She was so vibrant. Vivid. Young. And he had no right to touch her, although that did not stop him from wishing he could.
It was wrong to want anything like this. Like he was going to die if he didn't at least imagine her touch on his skin. Like he can do anything just so she'd allow him within touching distance of her. It was so wrong. It was wrong for him to want anything, period! It would only make him bitter and wonder why he was still struggling to be alive when he can't even have what he wanted most.
His throat tight, Remus stood up and left the breakfast table. Wanting to put a little distance to arrange his carefully built resolve that melted the instant Hermione entered the room. He was walking down the corridor, heading towards the stairs when he heard her call out to him from behind.
"Remus? Can I talk to you?"
He felt his heart stop... then it started beating wildly again. He made sure his face showed nothing as he turned to face her. His voice calm and sure and courteous, wondering if she was going to talk to him about last night. "Yes? What is it, Hermione?"
She smiled. "I saw the lunar chart last night and the full moon seems to be coming up soon. Since Professor Snape isn't here, I might as well brew you some Wolfsbane potion. I got permission from him last night through owl."
For a moment, Remus was speechless but he retained his calm. "You can brew Wolfsbane potion on your own? Won't something go wrong?"
She pulled a frown. "For your information, Remus Lupin, I am top of my class in Potions even if Professor Snape will never admit it. Besides, do you really think he'll give me permission to brew the potion unobserved if he didn't trust that I can do it properly?"
Remus smiled dryly. "Well, you never know. Severus and I never really had a chummy kind of relationship. Maybe he's hoping you'll poison me unintentionally. It makes a perfect kind of irony if you think about it."
Hermione frowned some more and glared at him but he clearly saw the hurt in her eyes. "I wouldn't be confident enough to offer to brew the potion for you if I wasn't sure that I can really do it you know. I would never hurt you."
He clenched his jaw and looked away. "Maybe you should."
There was silence between them where he felt her eyes boring holes into his face. He couldn't tell what she was thinking. In actuality, he didn't even want to know. Finally she broke the silence and her answer shook the foundations of his newly found resolve. "You deserve better than that."
He felt like scum. He didn't mean to sound so ungrateful but the words just seemed to fly out of his mouth. Born from this deep frustration that was eating him inside. He should continue on like this. Make her hate him until she went away. But the longing inside him broke through his vise like grip on reality and preferred to drown in the insanity that was her. He couldn't make her go away. He didn't even want to.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Thank you, Hermione." He finally answered her. To divert her intent attention from him, he changed the subject with his usual courteous calm. "But it seems Severus has forgotten to leave ingredients as well."
She smiled. Remus was again assailed by the unfairness of fate. He couldn't even look at her smile without curling his fists to keep himself from touching her. "Don't worry. Professor Dumbledore left me some galleons so I can buy what I need from Diagon Alley. If you'll come with me, I'm sure we can set things up in here quick enough."
He smiled at her, hiding all his innermost feelings behind it. "Alright. We can leave now if you want."
"That's great!" she said. "I'll just get dressed up and I'll meet you down here, k?"
Remus nodded and watched her run up the stairs happily.
Such happiness is not for me..., he thought grimly as he looked on...
*/*/*/*/*
The streets of Diagon Alley were full as usual, but the underlying tension that assailed it last year has dissipated. Everything seemes to be back to normal since Harry's defeat of Voldemort last term. The question is... were they really safe?
These thoughts flooded Hermione's mind as she walked through the potions ingredients store, carefully selecting the freshest and the best ingredients there were. From what she saw in Moste Potente Potions, ingredients for this particular potion are to be carefully chosen. The pudgy little store clerk were giving her suspicious little stares as she went from shelf to shelf but as soon as her purchases were completed and paid for, the store clerk started beaming at her.
"Thank you, pretty mistress, please come back again." The store clerk intoned happily reminding Hermione of a house elf. "Please excuse me for my behavior earlier. Another customer came here a few days ago and robbed me, you see."
Hermione smiled at her sympathetically. "What was stolen? You're inventory looks fine to me."
The clerk's face became somber and leaned over the counter to whisper to her. "The little thief stole all my dragon's blood and manticore's skin!"
Hermione's eyes widened a little. She knew that dragon's blood can restore strength among everything else though it was rare and quite expensive. Manticore's skin, on the other hand, can be used to heal mortal wounds in an instant. Why would anyone want to steal those? Unless they're desperate fugitives, that is.
The clerk saw the comprehension in her eyes and took delight in revealing a bit more. "I think the same little thief took an Essence Sphere from Knockturn Alley last night too. Suspicious thing is, the store owner didn't even put up much of a fight. Practically gave the thing away."
Hermione's ever working brain started ticking. She read about this item before. "An Essence Sphere? The one that can trap human essence and store it inside?"
The store clerk nodded approvingly at her. "I'm glad someone else knows a bit about that although I'd advise you not to come close to one. Truly dangerous they are."
"What is the Ministry doing about it then?" Hermione asked.
The clerk snorted. "They said it was the work of petty thieves."
Hermione nodded absently and began to walk towards the door. She was just too full of crazy suspicions! "Thank you." She said before stepping outside.
Remus smiled when he saw her and quickly divested her of her burdens. She smiled albeit a little distractedly. Remus noticed her unease and surprised himself for it. Was he that attune to her thoughts or was it because he's been watching her a bit too closely for his own good?!
"Hermione? Are you alright?"
Hermione smiled at him distractedly as she walked ahead of him. "Of course I am."
Remus raised one of his eyebrows at her skeptically. "Then why are you acting like you've got something up your sleeve?"
Hermione's smile widened at focused solely on him but her eyes and voice were grave as she spoke. "If I tell you, will you promise not to call me crazy or laugh at me and think I'm being paranoid? Oh, and you have to promise that you won't tell anybody else about this."
Remus gave her a bemused frown. "Why would I even think of doing that?"
Hermione chuckled grimly as she led him to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. She and Remus ordered three scoops of special triple chocolate fudge ice cream with cherries served in a glass bowl and platinum ice cream spoons. She smiled at Florean Fortescue when he served them their treats.
"Oh, its you, Hermione! A bit early to go shopping for books, is it?" the kindly man asked her jokingly.
Hermione laughed. For as long as she can remember, she, Harry and Ron made it a point to visit this ice cream parlor whenever they came to Diagon Alley. It was easy to grow fond of the kindly old wizard who owned it. "It's never too early to go shopping for books, Mr. Fortescue. At least not for me."
Mr. Fortescue smiled at her fondly. "Silly child. It's high time you devoted yourself to a boyfriend instead of solely burying your nose in a book. Has Harry and Ron asked for you yet?"
Hermione laughed harder but she was blushing now. "They're my best friends! Why would they even want to ask me out? I'm sure they'll be busy with girls this year what with defeating the Dark Lord and all. I don't have a chance!"
Mr. Fortescue raised surprised eyebrows. "Ah, bite your tongue, silly girl! In case you haven't noticed, you're a beauty! Those two are blind if they couldn't see that!"
Hermione's blush deepened a bit as she shook her head.
"He's right you know." Remus interjected before he could stop himself. "You are a beauty."
There was something so wistful about the way he said that she just had to look up, but he was smiling at her. As friendly and warm as ever. She ignored it and smiled, not noticing the way Mr. Fortescue's eyebrows climb up another notch but remained quiet.
It must be an effect of my paranoid brain, she thought.
Hermione smiled and made introductions. "Remus, this is Mr. Florean Fortescue. He owns the ice cream parlor. Mr. Fortescue, this is Professor Remus Lupin. He used to teach at Hogwarts. The best Defense Againts the Dark Arts teacher ever!"
The elderly wizard shook his hand and Remus was glad he wore the new robes Hermione sent him last Christmas.
"Nice meeting you, sir! Been hearing a lot of good things about you from these kids. Oh well, got to run. Customers waiting, you know? Just call if you need something, Miss Hermione. The coffee's on the house." He gave both of them a bright smile before walking away.
They sat there for a few moments, enjoying their sweets before Remus finally broke the ice. "You were going to tell me something?"
Hermione helped herself to another spoonful of ice cream before finlly deciding to speak up. She took in a deep breath and spoke in a very low voice. "I think Voldemort is still alive."
*/*/*/*