Chapter Five- Decisions, Engagements, and Good-Byes

It had been a month since Hermione had gotten sent back in time and she loved every bit of it. She even had a few snapshots to remember these magnificent days. There was one with Lily, one with Remus, one of all the marauders, one with the Marauders and Lily, and even one kissing Remus.

They were in the library when Professor McGonagall came in and said that Dumbledore needed to see her. The moment she came in, Hermione knew that Dumbledore was gonna say that the time turner was fixed and she could go home. She just knew it.

"Miss Granger, the Headmaster wishes to speak with you." McGonagall said and led Hermione to the office once more.

"Miss Granger, please sit down," Dumbledore said as she sat down. "Well, I have good news, you can go home." he said handing her the time turner and she out it around her neck. She looked at it for a moment, oddly.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Its just, what if I don't want to go back?" She said looking down and fumbling with her hands.

"Well, I'm afraid that is your choice my dear,"

"It's just my boyfriend here is my Professor in the future." she said.

"How do you know he won't be when you get back?" he asked.

"It's just that I will be seventeen in the future, he will be thirty something, not the seventeen year old he is now."

"Do you like him because he is seventeen or because he is who he is, and the same goes for him. If you two really love each other it shouldn't have any affect on how old you are, Miss Granger."

Hermione nodded and left the office. Did she want to go back or stay and live life with the one she loved? Leaving would affect the way she felt but staying would affect the future entirely. She loved him and he loved her too, but would it be the same in the future when she is his student and he is her professor once more? What do I do? If I go home, the longer I stay the harder it will be to leave. Not leaving won't hurt either of us. What to do, What to do? she thought on her way back to the Marauders in the library.

Hermione walked back into the library and sat down by Remus. She had a choice to make. Either she can go home and live life the regular way, or she could stay here and be with Remus. Who knows, she may even be able to stop Voldemort and what not. Harry could have a family if she tried something. But who knows? No one but the future.

"What did Dumbledore want?" James asked normal toned yet in a questioning way.

"Well, I have a choice. I can go back to Durmstrung or I can stay here with you all." she said looking at Remus nervously. He knew what Durmstrung meant but the others didn't. Remus took her hand and squeezed it gently and then lay her head on his chest.

"Do they know something that we don't?" Sirius whispered to James and glancing at the "newfound" couple on the couch.

"Maybe so Padfoot, maybe so." James responded.

Lily sat up for a moment looking at the group. She had just found out about Hermione's time turner herself. She didn't want her to go, and by the looks of it, Remus didn't wither. There is no telling what would happen if she stayed as long as Hermione really wanted to.

"Remus, I have to go back." Hermione said and began crying.

"Why? Just stay here with me." Remus said to her.

"I can't. This is not my time! You have got to let me do this Remus, or Professor Lupin!" Hermione screamed and ran out of the library, receiving disapproving looks from the librarian for her loudness.

"Damn it!" he yelled throwing a book across the room and also receiving looks from the librarian.

"What the hell was that for!" James said.

"She's leaving!" Remus said.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"I know Remus, but she has to." Lily said trying to comfort him.

"Why? She is the only one I have ever loved. Why does she has to leave!" he said and ran out the doors.

Lily sat there and thought about what had just happened. Remus had never had a girlfriend before then, and now he was losing the one he loved most.
Hermione walked around the courtyard until she came to a "special" spot she and Remus had been at once before. "How am I going to say good-bye to him?" she asked herself aloud.

"You can just say it," Remus said as he walked over to her and sat down too.

She looked at him and avoided eye contact as much as possible. "I don't want to leave Remus, believe me."

"Then stay with me, don't leave. Marry me," he said and looked down at his hands, blushing crimson all the while.

"Remus, sweetheart, no matter how much I want it, I can't, I have to go." she said and briefly caressed his face and then brought her hand back to herself.

"Why Hermione? I love you and I don't want you to leave." Remus said and took her hand in his.

"I love you too Remus, but what will happen when the time now gets to my time in the future, and I disappear completely?" she said and began to cry once more.

"What? Don't I mean anything to you?" Remus said letting go of her hand.

"No Remus, it's not like that. You are making this harder than ever for me to go. Trust me on this, it's not my time to be. The future is, just as this is yours."

Remus started to feel bad. He didn't notice how hard it was for her. "I'm sorry." he apologized.

"For what?" Hermione asked.

"I never thought about your feelings, Mione'."

Hermione smiled, she didn't know how to answer.

"Go back. I'm not saying it to get rid of you. I am only saying it because I know you have to."

"Remus, I love you a lot, never forget that." she said and smoothed a piece of hair out of his face and kissed him long before standing up and bringing him up with her. "You mean so much to me," she said and rested her head against the chest. After a bit she felt something slide on her ring finger on her left hand.

"Take it, take it and remember what could have been." he told her as he held her close.

She looked down at her hand and saw a beautifully crested ruby and diamond engagement ring. "Remus, I-I-I'ts beautiful. I-I can't take this. It's too much." she said gasping.
"Yes you can, and you will." he said with tears in his eyes, "You will because I love you."

"I love you too Remus," she said and hugged him tight. "I'll stay, I'll stay until tomorrow morning, late tomorrow morning but no longer."

"Stay with me the night. Don't worry, I am not asking you to "sleep" with me. I just want to spend the night with you in my arms. That's all." he said hoping she would agree.

"Remus, That's so sweet," she said and kissed him again. "Lets go, I know the perfect place." she said and took his hand. She led him to the North Tower and up a hide away staircase which led to the Astronomy Tower.

"I take it you've been here before?" Remus asked as he sat down and she settled in his arms.

She smiled at him. "Yes, once, with the future you. I was having trouble at home and you, the future you, brought me up here to calm down." she said as her thoughts wondered to that night.

Flash Back (in her time a flash back)

Hermione was sitting in the common room, crying when someone walked into the common room. It was Remus.

"Hermione, are you alright?" he asked walking over to her.

"My uncle was killed, by Voldemort. Turns out there is Wizardry in the family after all. But he's dead." she cried.

He walked over to her and lay a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and did the only thing she could think of before the tears came completely. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and began to sob into his chest. "It will be alright, just cry Hermione. Just cry." he soothed.

End of Flash Back

"I guess we are close when I am your Professor." Remus said.

"A little," Hermione said leaning back on Remus to where her head was leaning on his chest and in between it and his chin.

"I am glad I am around then, but what happens to James, Lily, Peter, and Sirius?" he asked.

Hermione's eyes popped open for a moment. "Please don't ask me that, I can't tell you,"

"Okay, Alright," Remus said.

Hermione settled down in his arms again and fell asleep within minutes.
Remus looked down at her sleeping body and smiled at the beautiful girl lying in his arms. "I love you, forever and for always." he whispered and placed a kiss on her forehead before he himself fell asleep also.

Hermione and Remus spent the whole day together. They never left each other's side. Every time they were alone Hermione would cry in Remus' arms. Finally Hermione couldn't stall anymore.

"I'm going up to see Dumbledore. Come up in about five minutes and bring James, Lily, Peter, and Sirius with you. Could you grab the bag off my bed also?" she asked him.

"Yes, and Yes. See you in about five minutes then." Remus said and went off to seek the others.

All the way up to Dumbledore's office, Hermione cried. When she finally got there, she barely heard a word that he was saying.

"Miss Granger, did you here me?" Dumbledore asked her.

"What? Oh, sorry Headmaster. I guess I got lost in my thoughts for a moment. Could you repeat it?" she asked wiping her eyes.

"I said here is your time turner, you may leave when you are ready." he said and handed it to her.

"I'm waiting for-" she began.

"Us?" Sirius said as they all stepped into the room.

"I will give you children time to say good-bye." Dumbledore said.

"Wait, could I ask you a favor?" Hermione asked.

"Sure," he said.

"Pull a memory charm on them, It might mess up the future if they all remember me." she whispered to him and looked at the five people around her.

"Yes, I will," he said with a smile.

"Thanks." she whispered back.

"Bye guys," she said giving James and Peter a hug.

"Bye Hermione," they both said.
"Bye Sirius," she said and hugged him.

"Yeah, I'll be seeing you later." he said and hugged her back.

Hermione was tearing up again by the time she got to Lily.

"I'll miss you Hermione. It was great having you here." Lily said to her as they hugged.

"I'll miss you too, I loved being here." she said.

Then there was only one left. The one she dreaded leaving the most. Remus.

"Here's your bag," he said handing it to her. She just nodded.

"I'll miss you. I'll miss you a lot," he said and pulled her into his arms.

"I will too," she said and hugged him tight.

"You really have to leave?" he asked once he let go.

"Yes, I do." she said with a small smile.

"I love you Hermione," he said and stroked her cheek softly.

"I love you Remus," she said and gave him one last kiss. She pulled away and moved a piece of hair out of his eyes.

"Ready to leave Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked.

Hermione just nodded as a response.

All you have to do is turn the time turner and it will take you back to your time. Once you get there it will be as no time has passed at all. If I recall, you were on your way to Defense Against the Dark Arts class when you fell." Dumbledore said.

"What time turner?" James said and Lily elbowed him in the side.

"Bye everyone," she said to them.

Remus just looked at her and said the word he couldn't say before. "Bye,"

The last person Hermione saw before she turned the time turner, was Remus........

Remus watched her leave as a silent tear fell down his cheek. "Good-Bye my love," he whispered when she had gone.

James turned to Remus and saw he had tears cascading down his cheeks. "You okay Moony?"

For the second time in his life, Remus had been cheated out of something he loved. "Yeah. I'm fine Prongs."

Hermione returned to her time and looked down at her hand and saw the engagement ring. "What if it does happen?" she asked herself.

"You okay?" Harry asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she informed them and turned the ring over to where only the band showed.

Ron looked at her as she did so and wondered where the ring came from. She didn't have it on this morning when they went to breakfast.

Hermione walked into the DADA room and sat down in her seat. Then Remus came in and she smiled as they made eye contact but he had no clue how hard her heart beat against her chest when he looked at her that moment. All that had happened was just a distant memory to him with another girl, or so she thought.

Something about Hermione sent a shock through Remus that he couldn't explain. Then he noticed it, he saw the ring on her finger and decided he would confront her on it after class.

Class passed slowly for Hermione. She wished it would go faster because almost instantly every time when Remus and she glanced at each other, she would almost go nuts and feel like melting on the spot.

Yes, he may not have been the seventeen year old he was back when she went through time, but his eyes still did something to her she herself couldn't explain.

Finally class came to an end and the bell rang. Hermione got up and was headed out of the room when she was stopped by Remus' voice.

"Miss Granger, could I have a word with you?" he asked her and sat down at his desk. "May I ask where you got that ring?" he asked, and nodded to the engagement stones on her finger as she walked back up to the desk.

"Uh, I got it form someone very special." she said remembering when she got it and who she had gotten it from.

"May I see it?" he asked.
"Um.....Sure," she said a little hesitantly but she let him see it anyways.

He put it in his hand. He held it to the small light source. He looked in the inside and saw an inscription. "Wish it was my time, back when you could have been mine," he whispered and then his eyes got big when he read the rest of it, "Love Remus," he said reading the rest of it.

Hermione just stared at Remus. She never knew that there was an inscription on it.

"Hermione, where did this ring come from?" he asked never looking from the ring.

"Where? I said someone gave it to me," she said.

"You mean that I gave it to you," he said finally looking up from his palm.

Hermione was speechless. He couldn't remember that night, or the whole time for that matter. I asked Dumbledore to put charms on them all, including him.

"When?" he asked.

"I don't know. The time turner got all messed up." she said more to herself than him.

"What do you mean?" he asked pestering on.

"You don't remember.....Can I please go now? I will be late for class if I don't go." she asked as tears threatened to fall down her cheeks.

Remus was a little hesitant but he gave her the ring back and she left in a hurry. He just watched her leave. He had so many thoughts and theories running through his mind. You don't remember, she had said to him. He sat back down behind his desk. Hermione. That was all he was thinking about at the moment. He leaned his head back and moved a piece of hair out of his eyes and closed them. While he sat there, a memory suddenly popped into his head out of the blue.

Flash Back

"Good- Bye my love," Remus whispered as he watched her go.

"You okay Moony?" James asked.

"Yeah Prongs, I am fine. I will see her another time." Remus responded.

"I am sure you will. Now I was given a request by Miss Granger." Dumbledore said. "What?" Sirius asked.

"I shall tell you in a minute. First I would like to talk to Mister Lupin for a moment if you four could leave for a minute." Dumbledore said and they stepped out of the room.

After they left Remus stood there looking at Dumbledore.

"Miss Granger asked me to pull a memory charm on you and the others." Dumbledore said.

"What? Sir, please, don't do it to me. I need to remember her. I lost the one person I love and I intend on remembering her, Sir." Remus said and didn't care if he sounded a bit desperate.

"I didn't think you did. I don't think you will let your memory of one girl affect the future, but I will give it to the other four." he said and called them back in.

End of Flash Back

"She went back in time with the time turner. She thought that Dumbledore had given me the memory charm!" Remus said and was out the door in a flash to catch up with her. "Miss Granger!" he called as he caught her.

She turned around to him, "Yes Professor?" she asked.

"Come to my classroom when you have some free time. We need to talk." he said giving her a brief smile and walked off.

"Why does he want to see me? It mush be about the ring." she whispered to herself and smiled briefly before heading into the Potions classroom.

Remus walked back to his own classroom throughly satisfied with himself. "Wait, damn." he muttered, "Professor McGonagall needs to use my classroom this evening. Hermione will have to meet me in my quarters." he whispered to himself as he took a seat at his desk."

Hermione walked into Potions a little giddy but at the same time, extremely nervous. Her hands began to tremble as she looked down at them. She saw the beautifully crafted ring on her finger and smiled. "I could have married him, but damn my own emotions and concerns with my own time. If it weren't for Harry or Ron, or for Mum and Dad, I would have stayed with him and lived a happy life being married to him; having his kids." she mused to herself all the while, cursing everything which made her come back to this dreadful time.

Ron eyed her heavily and wondered what she was think about that took up her class time. He wasn't about to confront her about the ring just yet. He also knew that if he did he probably wouldn't get any answers from his stubborn minded friend.

Hermione felt like crying all through Potions. Memories of her visit to the past ran through her mind and brought welcomed as well as unwelcome emotions into her thoughts

Harry saw a tear fall down her cheek and wondered why she was crying. Ever since her fall this morning she had been acting very strangely. He knew Ron saw it too but neither of them wanted to ask what was wrong. They both figured that she would tell them when she was ready.

The bell rang and the trio got up from their seats and went to the common room.

Hermione decided to get some homework done before going to see Remus. Its was unbelievably hard for her to concentrate, and that was unusually unusual for her to be so distracted.

Classes were over for the day so she had the rest of the evening free. She spent about an hour or two on her homework and then went up to her room and got ready to go see Remus. She did nothing more than brush her hair out until it framed her face perfectly and then she walked down the stairs.

"I'll be back in a little while guys." she informed Harry and Ron and then left the common room and headed towards the DADA classroom. When she reached the door she began to knock when she saw a note addressed to her.

Miss Granger, I had forgotten that Professor McGonagall needed my classroom this evening. So if it is no inconvenience, could you meet me in my quarters? We can discuss the matters at hand once you arrive.
Professor Lupin

Hermione read the letter over once more and then folded it, put it in her pocket, and began to walk down to Remus' living quarters. She knocked on the door and it opened.

"Ah, Miss Granger, come in. I believe we have something to talk about." Remus said pushing sandy graying hair out of his icy blue eyes. He stepped aside and let her in.

She walked in the door and he shut it behind them. She looked around and saw various bookshelves filled to the edges with books and his desk neatly arranged with parchment and quills lying on top of it.

"Hermione," he began and she jumped at his voice filling the once silenced room, "I remember what happened, I know that It was I who gave you that ring."

"But Remus, how?" she asked, "I told Dumbledore to put memory charms on all of you." she said taking a seat on the couch and looking at him.

"Right after you left, Dumbledore took me aside and told me what you had requested. I convinced him to just do it to the others. I told him that I needed to remember you. I told him-I told him-" he kept cutting himself off, feeling as he was seventeen once more and confessing that he loved her, as he did the first time back when she traveled to his time.

"That you what Remus?" she asked him, eagerness in her voice.
"I told him that I loved you too much to lose those memories." he confessed.

Still the same bashful, shy, Remus he was when he was seventeen, she thought to herself as she saw his cheeks color.

"Remus, you should know that I meant and do mean what I had said. I love you, I will always love you, no matter what." she said, now a bit of color hinting to show in her cheeks as well.

She is serious about being in love with me. I can't believe it. he thought to himself and then walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "I- I love you too," he soothed as he felt her tears stain his shirt on his shoulder.

She then pulled away and looked into his icy eyes and found herself not being able to look away. His eyes locked with hers and he pulled her close and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Hermione didn't settle for that. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back, much deeper and more passionate than his own kiss. She then pulled away only when she was satisfied. "I love you so much Remus. I can't say it enough,"

He smiled and kissed her again. She ran her fingers through his hair a few times and then pulled away. He interlocked their fingers. "Marry me then," he whispered softly and pushed a few locks out of her tear stained face.

"Remus, there is such a time gap. What will people say?" she asked him, eyes still locked with his.

"Hasn't stopped us yet. Has it, love?" he said grinning from ear to ear and his hair fell into his face a bit.

"Why the hell do you have to look so convincing?" she asked and obviously saying yes.

"I am a marauder, Hermione. We have our ways. Never forget that." he said and then leaned her against his chest and she soon fell asleep.

Hermione woke up in Remus' arms and smiled when she looked up and saw him staring down at her.

"Morning, love." he whispered to her and kissed her softly.

"Morning," she said and kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. She deepened the kiss gradually until they were snogging.

When they were finished Remus looked at her and sighed. "Nothing like a morning snog to wake you up." he joked and kissed her forehead.

She looked up at him and her face suddenly grew serious. "Remus, I wanna have your baby," she announced suddenly.

"Hermione, your seventeen, how old am I now?" he asked and sat up from his slouching position.

"That's not stopping us from getting married," she said defensively.

"Hermione, what you want will come in time. Can't you just wait a while?" he asked. "You know there is nothing I would want more though."

Hermione sighed and then smiled. "I'm sorry. I am just so overwhelmed by everything else that I am just rushing into everything else." she apologized.

"Don't be sorry, I just want everything to be perfect," he said to her.

"Everything already is," Hermione said smiling.