Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, events and/or places that are recognized as being written and created by J.K. Rowling. J.K. Rowling owns all the characters and places from the Harry Potter books including the ones used in this story.

A/N: Thank you, thank you and thank you, again, to my weekly reviewers! Lottsa love and I'm glad to make you all laugh. I'm a little miffed at this website at the moment because I desperatly wanted to update on January 31st, because its my birthday (happy 22nd birthday to me!), but the website kept telling me "come back later there's too much traffic" Oh well! lol! I also wanted to tell anyone who reads this and "Love Bites" that the last chapter for that will be posted soon, but I'm not sure when; I'm still working on it.

A couple notes about the story: this chapter is a little smaller than usual, but I liked where it stopped so I left it. And also, I can't remember what color eyes Ron has so I guessed brown like Ginny. Anyways, enjoy :D

&&

"Hermione, would it be all right if I had a private word with my daughter."

Hermione knew instantly that this was one conversation she wanted nothing to do with.

Practically leaping to her dresser, Hermione grabbed the first shirt and pair of trousers her fingers hit. She glanced over her shoulder at Ginny as she walked back towards the door, sending her a furrowed look that screamed "your in deep", before she slid out of the room and into the hallway.

There was a hint of jovial skipping in Hermione's strut towards the bathroom. It was hard not to deny her happiness. Maybe, finally, Ginny will have some sense talked into her; and she'll forget all about her highly disturbing fantasies.

Everything that's happened made Hermione feel more than a little dirty. First she sank to Ginny's level, making those ridiculous little presents; and saying that I like motorcycles? Who was I trying to kid?

Worst she was forced to almost have to see….she didn't even want to think about it.

What she needed now was a long shower; a nice hot, steamy shower to wash away the embarrassing thoughts swimming around in her head.

Hermione walked to the bathroom deep in thought. If asked later, she probably would not be able to recall who she passed on the way to the bathroom, or if she even heard the faint sound of water rushing out of a working shower head.

But of course all thoughts were completely wiped away when she ripped back the shower curtain. Actually, she almost went blind.

"S, s, s…sorry," Hermione squeaked. She threw the curtain back against the wall and spun around to the door.

Instead of hulking, worn wood, Hermione was faced with a robe clad Remus Lupin. "Uh…?" Hermione gaped, her thumb slowly rising to point to the shower behind her.

Remus's smile spread across his face, and he lowered his head slightly to look Hermione right in the eyes. "No one is in there, Hermione," Remus said, without a hint of laughter, though his eyes gave him away.

Hermione grabbed the curtain, without breaking her stare with Remus, and re-opened the shower.

Droplets of water, no longer contained by the plastic wall, bounced of the shower floor and sprinkled her face. Besides moldy tiles, and a lonely rubber ducky, the shower was otherwise void of anything that can be labeled 'human'.

"Oh," Hermione said.

"I was just about to take a shower," Remus spoke up, reaching past Hermione, and turning the faucets off. "Thankfully, for you, I forgot my soap by the sink…that's when you barged in."

"I am so sorry, Professor," Hermione squealed. "I can't even imagine what made me forget to knock."

Remus laughed and tightened the knot holding his robe closed. "It's all right, Hermione. No harm done."

Hermione turned tomato red, and stared at her feet. "I just hope you don't think that I was trying to se…"

"Of course I don't," Remus soothed, shaking his head. "In fact, why don't you use the shower first."

Hermione shook her head, and squeezed past Remus, making sure her hands didn't brush against anything they shouldn't be brushing against. "You were here first, Professor," she said.

"Ok, but Hermione?" Remus reached past her and opened the door for her. "I'm not your professor anymore. It's Remus; and if that's uncomfortable, Lupin is just fine."

Hermione blushed and smiled. "Thank you, Lupin," she said quietly, not able to find the courage to actually call him by his first name. Remus smiled as he closed, and locked the bathroom door.

Burying her head in her hands, Hermione felt the heat from her cheeks burning her palms. The whole bathroom incident left her feeling a slew of things. The most prominent feeling being the one that screamed, Merlin, Professor…Remus is so cute, and charming!

She shook her head, trying to loosen those thoughts completely out of her mind.

"Do you have a head ache, Hermione?"

Hermione looked up, her hands still hovering around her previously clasped eyes, to see Tonks with an amused, quizzical look on her face. "I'm fine," she responded.

Tonks smiled, and moved forward, clutching the bathroom door handle.

"Um," Hermione gasped, quickly pushing the door shut.

"Oh, is someone in there?" Tonks asked, pushing her ear against the door.

"Yes, Remus is," Hermione stated. She felt something surge through her body as she called Remus by his first name in front of Tonks. Unfortunately, Tonks was too busy smiling mischievously to care.

"Oh," Tonks sang, pushing Hermione away from the door, and opening it wide enough for her wiry frame to slip through.

Hermione eye's widened, and she consciously noted to check into why every other female was ten times less appalled by everything than she was.

Faintly, the sound of a shower curtain being pulled back, followed by a manly screech, a fumbled and giggle filled sorry, and then a bellowing "out" were all heard in the hallway.

Tonks streaked out of the bathroom, not looking where she was going, and caught her foot on a wrinkle in the rug. She crashed to the floor, clearly twisting something.

Hermione stared at her for a few moments before she helped her off the floor. Tonks limped away from Hermione, who still stared at her in horror. "It was worth it," Tonks smirked, limping to and down the staircase.

Behind Hermione, the bathroom door opened and closed. The air picked up the scent of green tea and fresh powder, pushing past Hermione's nose and making her smile.

Hermione looked behind her. Remus stood there looking more than a little frustrated. "I tried," Hermione shrugged.

"I believe you," Remus said.

"It's this house, I think," Hermione remarked. "The longer you're here, the less intelligent you act."

Remus laughed. "Hermione," he started out, his voice wavering slightly. "Perhaps after lunch, you and I can sit down and-"

"Shower time! Who's with me?"

"Talk about intelligent things," Remus finished in a whisper. He and Hermione stared impatiently at Sirius, who was wrapped in a towel that was almost too small for him. His long hair was tied up and wrapped in a shower cap that looked more like a transparent leech attempting to slowly suck his brain out. Hermione could tell, by the look on Remus's face, that he too thought no one would even notice if that happened.

Remus rolled his eyes, and shot Hermione a lopsided smile, before he made his way down the hallway and out of sight.

"If he wasn't my best friend I would declare him as no fun," Sirius stated.

Hermione was frozen to the spot. Half her brain was sketching down the image of Sirius in a towel to later use to make Ginny's head explode, while the other half kept manically chanting "he knows I was in his room last night, he knows I was in his room last night!"

"Hermione?" Sirius waved his hand in front of Hermione's eyes,

"Yelp," Hermione squeaked. Did I just say yelp?

"Can I use the shower, or…?"

"No, go right ahead! It's all yours! I'm just going to wait till you're done….out here of course! You'll be in there and I'll be out here. Yep. Don't worry about me!"

Sirius attempted to say something but changed his mind quickly and stepped into the bathroom.

Hermione threw her back against the wall and sighed deeply. She couldn't help but panic. He was half naked for crying out loud! Clasping her hand over her chest, Hermione tried to steady her breath.

"Hermione? I'm going to use the toilet while you're out here trying to breathe or whatever you're doing."

Ron's words moved so fast through Hermione's ears that she barely had a second to realize what he said, before the bathroom door creaked open and fell shut.

Hermione held her breath, waiting.

"Hey!"

Ron screamed and flew out into the hallway. His chest fell up and down with staggered breath.

"Did you open the shower curtain?" Hermione shouted, confused.

"No, he was…he was out of the….I'm going to be sick!" Ron bolted down the hallway and into a spare bedroom. Hermione winced when she heard the faint sounds of retching.

"Arthur is going to behead me soon, I know it," Sirius lamented, coming into the hallway.Hermione couldn't help but laugh and nod her head in agreement. "It's all yours," Sirius said, winking at Hermione, and not attempting to cover his water glistened, slightly boney, chest.

Dragging her eyes away from Sirius, Hermione pulled open the bathroom door.

"Hermione?"

"Ron," Hermione sighed, refusing to let go of the door handle. "I've been waiting to use the shower for quite some time. I'm sorry, but it's my turn."

"Oh, ok, um, yeah." Ron leaned against the wall, wrapping his shaking arms around his stomach. His face looked slightly green and sweaty."I just wanted to tell you that I've accepted your decision, and while I don't approve…it's your life to throw away."

Hermione stared at him. She tried to read the hidden meanings through his eyes. She pondered whether Ron even knew what hidden meanings were. She noted the small streak of blue in his brown eyes, but ignored the small streak of butterflies in her stomach. "I'm not even going to pretend to know what you're talking about," she said, slipping into the bathroom and closing Ron out.

The bathroom was heavy with steam and the smell of soap. She wanted to gag or leave, but the thought of hearing more nonsense from Ron kept her in there.

After her shower, Hermione brushed her hair and felt refreshed. She could feel the old, dingy dust from the house fall from her clean hair. She could feel the embarrassing little girl behavior fade from her brain.

Hermione strutted down to the kitchen for a late breakfast in a happy mood. She pushed open the door and almost gasped at what she saw.

Ginny was standing no more than two centimeters from Remus, her hand casually draped over his arm, her fingers casually circling around his wrist. "I just don't understand any of it," she whined, indicating the book laid open in front of her. "I'm so stupid."

"Ginny!" Remus draped his arm around Ginny and hugged her close to his side. "Don't ever call yourself stupid. You're the farthest thing from dumb."

"Will you help me understand it?" Ginny asked, her eyes slowly traveling to Hermione. "Remus?"

"Of course I will; after lunch, ok?"

Ginny nodded and rested her head on Remus's shoulder. She winked at Hermione, who was positive that any second now, her head would explode.