A/N: This chappie and the next are the saddest ones, but it will get better, I promise!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Detention with Lupin

True to Harry's word, finding Hermione indeed was easier after she'd taken those wild looking socks off. However, getting her to talk wasn't. He could feel himself growing more and more upset each time he tried. Why was she holding herself back? Didn't she love him? After all, she had performed the Homorphus Charm on him.

The night of the February full moon found Remus staring across the lake at the pale globe. He still almost couldn't believe that he wasn't transforming, he was really free. Hermione had done this for him. (I'll wait for her. It would break my heart to let her go)

Some yards in back of him, Hermione was wearing the Invisibility Cloak. She felt rather lonely and had decided to see Hagrid. Harry and Ron were too busy to give her much attention. She stopped when she noticed Remus, and what he was doing. A part of her wanted to go up to him, but a large part of her still felt repulsed at the idea. What was she thinking when she started dating him...her TEACHER? Everyone would be scandalized if they found out.

She knocked on Hagrid's door, and he opened it. Hermione took the Cloak off. "Hello, Hermione, come on in," greeted Hagrid. "I have some tea for you."

"Thanks, Hagrid," said Hermione.

"What brings you here at this time of night?" wondered Hagrid.

"I just feel lonely, and thought I'd pay you a visit," explained Hermione.

"Why, you're welcome at anytime, of course. Here's your tea. Ron and Harry have been neglecting you lately, haven't they? Busy with their own girlfriends?"

"Yes, pretty much. I can't say I blame them. You're a great friend, Hagrid." She smiled at him. Hagrid had always been there for her and her friends for the past seven years, no matter what. "I'm really going to miss you when I leave Hogwarts," she added, tearing up.

Suddenly a knock sounded on the door. "Under the Cloak with you!" hissed Hagrid. "With you in a minute!" he shouted to the knocker. When Hermione was safely under the Cloak in the corner, Hagrid opened the door. "Oh hello, Professor Lupin. Nice to see yeh," greeted Hagrid. Hermione's eyes widened.

"Hello, Hagrid. I thought I'd drop in for awhile," said Remus.

"You're always welcome to, Professor. Here, I'll get yeh some tea."

Remus raised his eyebrows at the sight on the table. It looked like there had already been someone here recently. "Who else was here, Hagrid? I see you already have tea on the table." Remus noticed Hagrid glancing at the corner a couple times anxiously. (Strange) he thought.

"I - well - usually set out second tea. I get alot of visitors, see, and I like to be prepared."

"Thoughtful of you," commented Remus with a puzzled frown. Hagrid was acting awfully strange. He sat down and started drinking the tea.

"Professor," started Hagrid, with another glance in the corner. Remus started to feel suspicious. He knew that Harry had an Invisibility Cloak; perhaps he was here, in the corner, underneath it? "Isn't it full moon tonight?" questioned Hagrid.

"Indeed it is," said Remus, grinning. "I'm not transforming because - don't tell anyone, please, Hagrid - someone performed the Homorphus Charm on me." Remus stared at corner. He noticed, in the corner of his eye, Hagrid look more nervous. (So there IS someone there. I remember now; it can't be Harry or Ron, because they planned on hanging out with their girlfriends tonight, I heard them talking about it. It must be Hermione)

"That's great, Professor! About time someone did it for you. Must have been a pretty smart wizard."

"Yes, she is," he said, smiling at the corner. Under the Cloak, Hermione found herself blushing. (He almost seems to know I'm here) she thought, beginning to feel nervous.

Hagrid noticed Lupin's stare. "She? You mean Hermione did it for you?"

"Of course, Hagrid. She has a heart of gold. She practiced every day for two months until she got it right. Isn't that amazing? She's my most dedicated student." Remus's gaze repeated shifted repeatedly from Hagrid to the corner, where he was now completely convinced that Hermione was. Hermione's stomach began to churn, and she tried hard to hold back her sobs. (I want to get back with him, but what will everyone think?)

Remus heard a muffled sob in the corner, and it took all his willpower to keep himself from going over there.

"That's great! Hermione is so talented at things like that." Hagrid paused, twitching. "Something you want in the corner there, Professor? I ken get it for yeh."

"You can do one thing for me, Hagrid," said Remus, gazing at the corner with a compassionate look on his face. "Tell Hermione that if she ever needs to talk about anything, anything at all, she can come to my office. She's been upset lately and I'm really concerned. Thanks, Hagrid, for the tea," said finished Remus, before leaving. As he walked out the door, he could hear Hermione crying softly. He walked back to the castle, his head bent and feet dragging. There was no doubt about it, his relationship with Hermione was on the rocks. And he didn't even know why.

In the next DADA class, Remus was in a foul mood. It seemed whenever he tried to make close friends, he lost them somehow for reasons beyond his control. This was continuing even thought he was no longer a werewolf! "Hello, class," he said, giving them a short smile. "Good to see you all on time." He wasn't as patient as he usually was when students asked questions, and he found himself giving sarcastic, Snapelike answers. Hermione shouted at him for being mean to Neville, and Remus whirled to face her, glaring fiercely. "The insufferable know-it-all strikes again, does she? Detention, Miss Granger." His mood stayed foul for the rest of the class, and he dismissed his class early.

Hermione approached Remus tentatively. He seemed genuinely angry. Yet, it had been a relief, in a way, to see him act as her teacher and not her boyfriend.

"Professor? When do you want me to come to detention?" Hermione asked in a small voice.

Remus stared at her blankly. He hadn't heard her call him Professor since the beginning of the year. "Tonight, seven o'clock," he answered, and dismissed her.

Hermione showed up at his office promptly at seven. She had a feeling that she wasn't going to be writing lines. She wished she was. She opened his door, white-faced.

"Come here, Hermione, I don't bite," said Remus. "I hoped you knew that by now," he added in a softer tone.

Hermione sat down in front of him, trying to keep her tears in check. "What are you going to have me do? Write lines?"

"No, Hermione. For detention you're going to tell me why you've been avoiding me for the past couple weeks." He glanced at her hands. Her left hand was no longer wrapped in a bandage, and her right still bore his ring.

Hermione gaped at him, speechless, and gripped with dread. "I'm really sorry, Remus," she said, her voice cracking. "I didn't want to tell you, it would hurt you."

"Hermione, not seeing you is equally hurtful," he whispered. Hermione felt her face growing hot.

"I'm - I'm afraid you're going to take this the wrong way," Hermione started.

"Try me," commanded Remus.

"I - I guess it started when - I mean, on Valentine's Day - in Madam Purlyfoots - I mean, Puddifoots." She bit her lower lip hard to keep it from shaking.

"I gathered that much," commented Remus. "Go on."

"I - well - when you held out that ring - it well - brought to mind -" Hermione was sure that if her face grew any hotter, the house elves could use it for a stove.

"I think I know what you're getting at, Hermione," assured Remus. "So you're not really serious about me? You want to break up?" His voice sagged with disappointment.

"It's not that, really. It just brought to mind how serious this all is. I - I really didn't think about it much before," Hermione informed him, starting to cry.

"How serious this all is? What do you mean?" He reached out with both of his hands and held hers, rubbing them soothingly.

His action helped her calm down. Remus was still there, after all, and he didn't seem too upset at the moment. (That could change with what I'm about to say) she thought glumly. "Well, it's just, you're my teacher, and you're nearly -"

"Twice your age," finished Remus.

"Everyone's going to be scandalized when they find out. Especially my parents," she moaned. "I - I don't know what to do. I don't want to break up with you, Remus. I just don't know what to do." She blinked back tears.

"We'll have to think about that one," Remus said. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes."

"What was with those socks? They weren't ordinary socks, were they?"

Hermione gazed at him guiltily. "Dobby gave them to me. I - I feel so bad. I didn't know what to do, you know, I didn't want to upset you, I just thought if I could distance myself from you for awhile, I'd get over this. They're anti-apparation-blocking socks. It means I can apparate even in Hogwarts. They started itching one day, for some reason, so I got rid of them."

Remus fought back a smile, debating whether to tell her he was the culprit. (That might mean I'd have to tell her about what Harry said. I don't want to get him into trouble. She need never know) He chanced a chuckle. "I thought I was going crazy. So I did see you all those times! I thought I was just imagining it. You know, Hermione, I wish you'd been more honest and open with me about this. I can see why you were afraid, but this is something we need to work out together, not you by yourself, or certain other friends." The last few words he said so low she could barely hear them. "So, for the past few weeks you've been avoiding me because it's dawned on you how scandalous this all could look. Something, I'd imagine, that would be particularly hard for you to take because you put so much stock in the rules. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Remus," she hiccupped. Remus gave her a glass of water, which she drank slowly in attempt to rid herself of the hiccups.

He sat back, gazing intently at her. He wasn't sure what to say. He'd had those same concerns until Dumbledore had slipped his okay, which was enough for him. He didn't have any family or hardly any friend's approval to worry about. This wasn't the case with her, though. She'd gotten to be a bit popular here, especially after she was so much help to Harry in defeating Voldemort. He wasn't sure how many relatives she had, but he knew her parent's approval was very important to her. He felt a twinge of jealously. (If she really cared about me, she wouldn't care how this would look) he couldn't help but think. (Yet she did say she didn't want to break up with me) He sighed. He knew what he would have to do. It would kill him to say it, but, "Hermione, if you want me to back off...not approach you again until you've graduated...I would do that."

She blew her nose, not looking at him. "Remus, it's not your fault, I'm not going to ask you to back off."

"No, Hermione," he said. He felt sure his heart would break, but it was for her best. "I'll back off. Your friends are obviously very important to you. I - I won't get in your way. Your parents wouldn't like it. Now, detention is over, you can leave, Hermione." He set his face, determined to not let it show how much it hurt him.

"Oh, Remus," she said, her eyes clouding with tears. Her throat grew tight, and she could scarcely breathe. She set her glass down on his desk and mournfully stepped out of his office.

Remus stared at the empty glass. It reminded him of the day, a few months ago, when he'd looked into that very glass. It had inspired him with the fateful idea which had started this whole mess. Resignedly he began grading his papers, trying not to think about how his world was falling apart.

Hermione sobbed openly the whole way to the ROR. She opened it, put the strongest sealing spell she knew on it, then threw herself on the couch and cried herself to sleep.

Replies to Reviewers:

Aljinon: Thanks for your review! I'm glad you thought how Hermione feels isn't too off the wall. :)

BrennaM: Thanks! Yeah, I thought the sock thing was funny. It was something I thought of spontaneously and just made up as I typed. I love it when ideas come as easily as that, it doesn't happen often, LOL.

Lucidshard: Yay, Lucidshard! I'm real honored you added me to your C2 archive, that really made my day! Thanks a million for that and both of your reviews:)

TheLadyValura: Thanks for your two reviews! I'm glad you liked that scene, it was something I thought about and worked on alot. Yes, poor Remus. :( I really put him through alot in this story.

slytherinstargazing: Thanks for your review! Hmmm, we'll just have to see if she figures that out. :)

Mithril-Moony: Thanks! I'm glad you didn't think the socks were lame. I was worried people wouldn't like the socks because they're against canon, JKR repeated over and over that no one can apparate in Hogwarts except for house-elves. I figured though if Dobby could do it he might be able to figure out how to get someone else to do it too. :) Thanks again for reviewing!

Le Grimoire: Thank you so much for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the socks. I get a kick out of how much JKR mentions socks, and Dobby's socks are my favorite. I want the broom and snitch socks he gave to Harry. :) LOL

Moony's-Mate: Yes, it's him coming on a bit strong and her 'perfect student, perfect daughter' obsession that's bothering her (mainly) right now. Thanks for your compliments on my writing! Thanks for reviewing again!

Preview of next chapter: Harry entered, gaping at Remus. "I thought you might be asleep. You look really good for it being full moon last night," complimented Harry. He mistook the bleak look in Remus's eyes for sleepiness.

"Thank you Harry. I assume you came in here for something other than seeing how I fared the night?"

"Yes, actually I was wondering where Hermione is. I haven't seen her since dinner last night. I thought you'd probably know. She was in detention with you last night, wasn't she?" asked Harry.

"She was," he confirmed, his voice cracking. "I don't know where she went afterwards."

"Did something happen?" inquired Harry, concerned.