Sorry to all of my faithful readers...school has been taking up most of my writing time. Apologies for the shortness of this, but I had to do this very quickly. Any reviews are welcome and appreciated.

Remus and company returned to the house a few hours later to find that Ron, his brothers, and his parents had reached some kind of peaceful agreement. Ginny was taken aside and informed of what happened while Harry and Hermione helped Remus get dinner ready.

As they worked, Hermione noticed that Remus appeared to be shivering.

"Are you cold?" she asked, concerned.

"Just a bit." Came his shaky reply. His teeth were chattering, and she suspected it was more than he was letting on.

She reached out a tentative hand and felt his forehead. It was very hot.

"Harry, Remus has got a fever. Go see if Mrs. Weasley can help me get him upstairs and to bed."

The boy obeyed without question, and a few moments later, Molly came rushing into the room.

"Oh dear, poor Remus." She clucked as she too felt his forehead. "Let's get him in bed quickly, Hermione dear."

The two women helped the weak werewolf to his room. He protested all the way, but allowed them to have their way with him. His face was flushed, and he was beginning to sweat.

Molly checked his temperature while Hermione dashed downstairs to get him something to drink. Ginny had some hot tea ready, and she took it to Remus. He gratefully drank it, and then closed his eyes.

"Sorry to be a bother..." he began.

"Don't even start saying you're not worth attention, Remus Lupin." Mrs. Weasley said sternly. He gave a ghost of his usual smile.

"How well you know me." He whispered. "Hush and go to sleep, Principe guapo." Hermione said gently. "You need your rest to fight off this cold." His eyelids fluttered, then he was out cold.

The next morning, Remus awoke with a streaming cold. His nose felt like a waterfall of snot, and his ears were plugged up so badly he could barely hear Hermione knock on the door. "Hi." He croaked.

She winced at the sound of his voice.

"You're really sick, aren't you?" she asked as she laid a mug of tea beside him. "Seems that way." He replied. "And on your last day here, too."

"Oh Remus, don't worry about it. I've had one of the best vacations ever...I mean it." She replied earnestly.

"Good. Now, tell Molly to get a hold of Kingsley and explain that I'll be needing him to take all of you back to Hogwarts. Write me as soon as you get back."

"I will...I promise. Now drink your tea and rest."

He did so, and fell back asleep.

The Weasleys made arrangements, and everyone packed up.

"How's Rem?" Ginny asked as they packed.

"Not too bad...he's got a nasty cold though." Hermione replied. "Oh, that's the pits. I hate colds."

Before leaving, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all left him letters on his bedside table for him to see when he woke up. Kingsley Shacklebolt promised to check on him, and told Hermione that Fred had offered to come each day when he couldn't.

Looking out the window of the train with her chin resting in her hand, Hermione reflected silently that this had been the best Christmas she'd ever had.