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 to everyone who reviewed/commented/or read! This chapter is much longer than the last one, so enjoy:D
Hermione felt a cold, sweaty palm wrap around her mouth, while another set of fingers grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled her back out of the kitchen.
Grasping her wand and spinning around, Hermione relaxed when her eyes fell on a blue haired Tonks, and not someone who was actually trying to kidnap her.
"Why did you do that?" Hermione whispered, trying her best to recapture some form of normal breathing.
"Well," Tonks started out, turning on her heels and motioning for Hermione to follow her over to the one dust covered couch, stretched out against the far wall. "I didn't want you to start screaming and yelling at what you saw in the kitchen; if you saw what I saw, which I can presume you did see."
Hermione lowered herself slowly onto the cushion next to where Tonks sat, trying to comprehend what she was saying. "Are…you mean Ginny and Professor Lupin?" She found herself feeling too awkward as it was, at the moment, to call Professor Lupin anything but Professor.
Tonks nodded her head knowingly. She folded her arms across her chest and fell back into a lounging position on the couch, sending a small fury of dust up as she hit the cushion. "She's in a dangerous area, that Ginny Weasley."
Hermione crossed her legs and sat up with perfect posture. If she was going to be found bad mouthing her best friend behind her back, she was at least going to be sitting in some kind of adult, lady-like position. "I really don't know what's going through Ginny's mind," she lied. "In fact, I had no clue that she even fancied, ahem, Remus."
"Professor Lupin."
"Right."
"You had no idea? Not even a tiny idea?"
Hermione thought for a moment. The only words that had come out of Ginny's mouth for the past week had been words associated with describing the hotness of one Sirius Black. Ginny never said anything about thinking Remus was handsome or even nice. "I honestly had no idea," Hermione confirmed.
"Then why is she flirting with him?" Tonks whined, sounding like she was also thirteen. Hermione pushed aside her rising annoyance, and her desire to get up and seek refuge in a book.
"Ginny is mad at me," Hermione stared out, but stopped when she saw Tonks' eyes narrow in on her in deathly slits. "Because I'm boring; she's mad at me because I'm boring." Tonks nodded, sat back, and returned her eyes to their natural friendly, round appearance. "Ginny doesn't have anything better to do with her time, than flirt with grown man and act completely childish." Hermione paused for a moment, to recollect her thoughts. "Mr. Weasley had a talk with her, this morning," she continued, explaining things more to herself than Tonks. "But, I guess it wasn't in reference to her immature behavior."
Hermione paused again; but this time because she heard her own words and they sounded weird to her ears. They sounded old. She was fairly positive that if she was in a dark room, and someone spoke those words out loud, that she would have immediately presumed that person to be an older woman, possibly Professor McGonagall. It didn't sound like a normal fourteen year old girl. Hermione suddenly felt worried about her mental age.
Tonks, on the other hand, seemed to not be aware, in the slightest, that an old woman was living inside Hermione's brain. She sat there, snorting every other second and tapping a finger, complete with an electric blue, fake finger nail, (that Hermione knew for a fact was against Auror dress guidelines), against the tip of her nose. "They really need to have more control over that girl. She's wild!"
Hermione had to admit, not out loud, that she disagreed with Tonks. Ginny wasn't wild. She wasn't even doing anything that outrageous; even to the straight-laced standards of Hermione "aged 77 on the inside". Ginny was being childish, and eccentric, but not wild. Hermione sighed at her own revelation.
Tonks sighed for a whole different reason.
"Hermione?" Tonks asked, sitting up and strumming her fingers on her knees. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course, Tonks," Hermione beamed. She turned her body so that she was directly facing Tonks. Hermione, in an attempt to appear more "young girl" and less "aging psychiatrist", brought her knees up to her chest and folded her arms around them.
"Ok," Tonks whispered, her face turning a slightly pale form of red, and not because she was making them. "Do you think that Remus fancies me? You know, in a way other than how he fancies Sirius?"
Hermione's mind was plummeted with so many thoughts, that there was an avalanche in her brain. She, first of all, thought the concept of discussing whether or not Remus fancies someone other than herself, extremely rude on Tonks' part; not that Hermione fancies Remus...or that Tonks would even know if she fancied Remus; which she doesn't.
And in what way does Remus fancy Sirius? I really need to stop having these kinds of conversations.
"Hermione?"
Tonks' voice brought Hermione back to reality. "Um," she stuttered. "I really…"
"Oh, Hermione," Tonks chirped. "You can answer my question! Don't feel embarrassed. Here…ahem, based on the evidence gathered during the numerous meetings between Remus John Lupin and Nymphadora-ugh I hate my first name-Tonks, it is apparent that the probability of a meaningful relationship existing between the two is…." Tonks extended the 's' of the last word she spoke, and held her hand out to allow Hermione to take over.
"Bad."
"What?" Tonks asked in a low voice, her face falling into a confused frown.
Hermione thought about all the interactions she's witnessed between Tonks and Remus. "The numbers are not in your favor," she stated.
"I demand a recount!"
Hermione sighed and slammed her head into her knee caps. "Why do you even like him?" she asked, her voice muffled by her legs.
"Because," Tonks started, her voice adopting a higher pitch. "He's not like other men."
Hermione nodded slightly, still curled against her legs.
"He's smart, so smart. And nice; and a good conversationalist, and he loves to read…not that I do, but it's nice that he does. And he has the most beautiful eyes, and he's…drop…dead…gorgeous who is that?"
Hermione's head snapped up to see Tonks' eyes glazed over and locked on a spot beyond Hermione's head.
Turning, Hermione spotted the object of Tonks' questioning.
Fred and George were standing at the bottom of the staircase, talking animatedly to another, less familiar, but defiantly more muscular, red-headed Weasley.
"That's Charlie, I think," Hermione whispered. She narrowed her eyes, and caught a glimpse of a rather large, bubbling red burn on the side of his right hand. "Yep, defiantly Charlie," she said, turning back to face Tonks.
Hermione was shocked for a moment to see Tonks' hair rapidly changing color and styles. "Introduce me…to him," she said, her hair finally settling on short, messy, garnet colored curls.
"What happened to Remus?"
"Who?" Tonks asked, twisting a stray curl around her finger, and staring over Hermione's shoulder.
Hermione didn't know whether she should be appalled or happy; but she didn't have much time to decide before Tonks squeaked and nodded towards the approaching Weasley.
"Hello, Hermione," Charlie said. "Nice to see you again."
"Hello, Charlie," Hermione responded, politely. She honestly didn't find Charlie to be that attractive, like Tonks obviously did. Maybe if he was taller, like Ron, he'd be a little bit cuter, Hermione found her self thinking, not realizing that she smiled when she thought about Ron.
Tonks squeaked again.
"Oh," Hermione snapped, laughing. "This is Tonks."
"We've met actually, Hermione," Tonks said, in a low, condescending voice that made Hermione want to kill her. "At a meeting a couple of weeks ago; you remember me, right Charlie?"
Charlie's eyebrows rose and he let out a large, snapping laugh. "Of course I remember you, Nymphadora. How are you?"
Tonks giggled. "Not bad; not bad. I still hate my name. Are you staying here at headquarters now?" Tonks twirled another curl around her finger, and giggled again,
Hermione wished she was able to one: mentally vomit, and two: mentally tell Tonks to not sound so desperate.
"For a few days, yeah," Charlie said; his eyes traveled from the top strands of hair on Tonks head, down to the lose ties of her sneakers. "Love the hair, by the way."
"Thanks," Tonks cooed, standing up quickly. "Here, I'll play Hostess and show you to your room."
Charlie laughed, and playful bowed to allow Tonks to pass him.
This was all too much for Hermione, who sprang off the couch and bee-lined for the kitchen.
"I was waiting for you to show your face in here again," Ginny spitted out. She was lounging against the table in the middle of the room, a half eaten banana clenched in her left hand.
Hermione sighed loudly. Is no where safe?, she screamed in her head. "What is your problem?" she screamed at Ginny.
"My problem is you."
"Will you stop with the corny lines? Merlin, I am so annoyed with everyone under this roof!"
"Everyone?" Ginny asked, dropping her banana carelessly onto the floor. "You're not annoyed with everyone, I'd bet."
Hermione felt like crying. "What?" she whined.
Ginny walked forward until she was mere inches from Hermione's face. She was so close, that Hermione noticed the banana residue on the corner of her mouth.
"Are you dating Sirius?" Ginny screamed at Hermione.
"What?"
"Are….you….Hermione Granger….dating….Sirius….Black?"
"NnnnnOoooo," Hermione said, angrily copying Ginny's slow speech. "And what on this Earth made you think that?"
"You and your attitude."
Hermione pushed, actually pushed, Ginny away from her. She felt dizzy; like nothing in front of her eyes looked familiar. "I don't have a clue what you're talking about. Is this why you were all over Professor Lupin?"
"Jealous?"
"No."
"I'm sick of your lies, Granger!" Ginny paused. "That's right I called you Granger!"
"Ginny," Hermione said calmly. "Listen to me, ok? Listen to your best friend; someone who would never betray you, or lie to you, or anything. I am not dating or even really speaking to Sirius. Ok?"
Ginny stared at her, her eyebrows furrowing and then un-furrowing, and then repeating. "But, Ron said you were."
Hermione laughed. "And you believed him?"
"He is my brother."
"So are Fred and George and if you believed everything that came out of their mouths, you'd be committed."
Ginny shook her head, and laughed. "Sorry," she whispered.
Hermione nodded with small giggles.
"Well, I've got to go get ready," Ginny said, spinning around towards the door.
"Get ready for what?" Hermione asked.
"I'm going to the cinema with Professor Lupin."
"WHAT?"
"Professor Lupin is taking me to the cinema," Ginny repeated.
"Wait, just wait," Hermione said, she started laughing with manic insanity. "You're going on a date with Professor Lupin…?"
Ginny giggled. "I guess you can call it that," she said, staring at the ceiling and ignoring the fact that Hermione's face was slowly resembling a tomato. "He was telling me about movies, and I told him that I've never been to one. And he said, that that was horrible and I need to experience one right away."
Hermione forgot how to talk.
"But, we're not supposed to talk about it in front ofSirius, so, shh," Ginny added, putting a finger to her lips.
Hermione took a deep breath. This was exactly the behavior she didn't want anything to do with anymore. Even though it hurt a little, she decided to stop being immature and leave that spot open for Ginny.
"Have fun," Hermione said, smiling naturally at Ginny and making her way to and through the door that led to the dining room.
Hermione thought, momentarily about Owling her parents and telling them that she was coming home. Then she saw Mrs. Weasley, sitting all alone in the middle of the table, stirring a spoon around in her cup of tea, and sighing to herself. Hermione decided that if she needed a mother right now, besides her own, there was no one better than Mrs. Weasley.
"Can I sit with you?" Hermione asked timidly, approaching the chair across from Mrs. Weasley.
"Oh, of course, dear; have a seat." Mrs. Weasley smiled weakly at Hermione before reaching for the empty cup and saucer next to her. "Tea?"
"Thank you, please," Hermione said. "Is, is everything all right, Mrs. Weasley?"
There was a great pause, where Mrs. Weasley seemed to be debating in her head whether or not she should tell Hermione. "I'm just worried, as usual, Hermione," she whispered, and then added, "Mostly about Ginny."
Hermione felt that she could now add 'mind reader' to her list oftalents. She began formulating something soothing to say to Mrs. Weasley, when she spoke up first.
"Hermione, do you have anything that you would like to ask me? Or talk about?"
"Concerning Ginny?" Hermione asked, adding milk to her tea.
"Yes, well, concerning anything really. Anything you want. Anything."
Even though it seemed apparent to Mrs. Weasley that Hermione looked clueless, she was the farthest thing from. Hermione knew exactly what Mrs. Weasley was refereeing to by her repeating of the word 'anything', but Hermione would rather fully snog Snape than talk about that with her.
Then again, she was a mother, and Hermione did have a question only a mother could answer.
"Well," Hermione started out, her voice low and shaky. "At what age should a girl find herself interested in, you know….more than kissing?"
Mrs. Weasley turned white. "Um," she stuttered. "Well, twenty…five. Twenty-five would be a good age. Now, like I was saying, isn't there anything you'd like to get off your chest about what Ginny is, hem, doing?"
"Oh," Hermione said, turning redder than Mrs. Weasley's hair. I guess she wasn't referring to…that. "Um, Ginny has a crush on…" Hermione gulped. She couldn't say it. "Harry."
"Not Sirius?"
"Nope."
"Not even a little bit?"
"I'd have to say no to that too."
"You're smart, Hermione, right?"
"Y…es," Hermione stammered, a little caught off guard.
"So, if Ginny was doing something she shouldn't be doing, or even thinking about something she shouldn't be doing with someone that should be thinking about someone his own age-" Hermione could feel a small vein burst in the right corner of her skull "-you would agree that it would be smart of you to inform her parents, right?"
"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione droned. "Ginny is bored," she added, as an attempt to say something without actually saying it.
"Ginny is…"
"Oh wow! You're muscles are bigger than my head," Tonks giggled, bursting into the dining room, while running her fingers up and down Charlie's biceps.
"Hi, Mum," Charlie said, giving his mother a swift kiss before he turned his attention back to his number one fan.
The two made their way outside, giggling and whispering the whole way.
"My children have no taste," Mrs. Weasley sighed, standing up. "Well, maybe Ron does," she added smiling at Hermione. She picked up her cup and exited the kitchen.
Hermione rubbed her temples and started to recite the outcome of the 1458 French Goblin Revolution in her head, just to make sure she still remembered that there was life outside this insanity.
Then she remembered there was life outside Grimmauld Place; an important life. Hermione stretched her arm down towards the end of the table and pulled over to her a spare piece of parchment and a quill that someone had left there.
She began writing a letter to Harry. She had almost forgotten that his birthday was tomorrow, and she needed to get his package ready. Not knowing what to write, because they weren't allowed to say anything about what they were doing, Hermione simply wrote: There's a fair amount going on, we'll tell you everything when we see you. She felt bad that he wasn't there, and even though she had no idea what was really going on, she also added: I expect we'll be seeing you quite soon.
Right then Hermione decided that she was going to make a point to pay more attention to what the Order was doing and less to what Ginny was doing.
"What are you doing?"
Hermione jerked her head up, and saw Ginny standing in front of her, peering curiously at Hermione's letter.
"I'm making a birthday card to send to Harry. You do remember Harry?"
"I remember Harry," Sirius shouted, as he came into the room and sat down next to Hermione. "I miss Harry." Sirius frowned down at his lap, and then scooted closer to her. "While Moony takes Ms. Weasley, here, to the cinema, you and me, Hermione, will have an 'I miss Harry' party. How's that?"
Hermione could see out of the corner of her eyes that Ginny looked like she was quickly trying to come up with ways to not have to go the cinema. "I would like that, Sirius," Hermione said, smiling, but her heart wasn't in it. "But, I'm not really up for a party. I'm not…in the mood."
The door to the dining room opened, and Remus walked in. He held a large book up to his face, but professionally made his way over to the table and sat down next to Ginny and across from Hermione.
"Hello, Moony," Sirius spat out.
"Hello," Remus said, putting his book down and surveying everyone around him. "Hermione?" he said, when his eyes fell on her. "What's the matter?"
"She's in a mood," Ginny mumbled.
"I've been meaning to ask you if you'd like to come to the movies with me and Ginny."
Identical smiles blasted over both girls' faces. "Sure," Hermione squeaked. She actually enjoyed movies, and hoped it was something foreign that they were going to see.
"Here's a brilliant idea," Ginny squeaked, rising about a foot in her chair. "How about just you two go to the movies? I'm not all excited about seeing that…I can't pronounce the title it's in gibbish or something,"
"French," Remus said, laughing.
"Exactly."
"Well, if you want to, Ginny, but you'll be missing out."
"And I'm heartbroken over it," Ginny said dramatically.
Hermione shook her head at Ginny and then stood up abruptly. "I better go get Harry's birthday present together with Ron's so that we can mail them."
"There's an Order meeting tonight," Remus spoke up quickly. "I'll come find you when it's done?"
Hermione nodded her head excitedly and practically skipped out of the room.
"I think she speaks gibberish, that's why she's so excited," Ginny commented.
Remus grabbed Ginny's shoulder and shook her gently. "There is still hope for you, I know it," he laughed. "Well, I have to prepare my report for the meeting. Can I use your spare study room, Sirius?"
"Go right ahead, Moony," Sirius said. "Just don't open the drawer that's marked 'ink'. That's a warning."
Remus left the room with a worried, confused look on his face.
Sirius turned his attention to Ginny and leaned forward in his seat. "So, Ginny," he said, with a smirk. "What do you want to do today?"
Ginny straightened out the collar of her shirt and got the most brilliant idea.
