Lupin allowed himself to smile wolfishly. His aches, pains and depression from becoming a flesh hungry beast every month erased in some slightly flirtatious banter with a student who was almost twenty years his junior. At least I found a lesson plan for next week he thought to him self.
As Hermione walked down the corridor back to the common room she reflected on her own behavior.
"I can't describe it. I'm at a loss for words. A subject that brings millions of questions bubbling to the surface of my conscious and I cannot put any of them into words," she muttered to herself causing numerous students to cast wary glances in her direction.
Her internal reverie had distracted her all through her trip from the Remus's classroom to Gryffindor Tower. She mumbled "Fortuna" and shuffled over the threshold. She mumbled to herself as she bumped into a fast moving young man with a mop of messy black hair. When Hermione looked up she noticed that the young man was her trusty friend Harry. Harry was staring at her and moving his mouth, after blinking at him owlishly she finally deduced that he trying to speak to her.
After Quidditch practice Harry ran up to his dorm had a quick shower. He tried to fix his hair in a rush but instead opted for the style that had carried him through most of life, "roguish coiffure" as Hermione had once called it. He threw his robes on; inside out. Frustrated with himself he hastily righted them. Skipping one or two stairs at a time, he ran down to the common room colliding with Hermione when he reached the bottom. He would have liked to apologize and continue on his way, except the way her eyes continued to remain fixed on the floor worried him slightly. When Hermione looked up and continued to stare at him through glazed eyes he became a little more frightened.
"Hermione are you alright?" he asked his eyes desperate for an answer as he pondered how long talking to her would take. Harry didn't usually count the minutes till he could leave her presence but today was different.
"Oh Harry I…" Hermione began but noticing his foot tapping and his overall appearance she decided it was better not to bore him with her trivial queries. "I was just thinking of a particularly difficult Arithmancy problem that has been bothering me. No need to worry." She flashed him a bright smile, which satisfied him. With a brotherly hair shuffle he dashed out of the common room.
"I wonder what's up with Harry," Hermoine pondered shaking her curls back into place. Her musing was brought to a halt when Ginny came bounding over to her.
"Hermione you missed dinner!" she exclaimed in her little girl voice that detracted from her very grown up image. Hermione had indeed skipped dinner in favor of reading up on nocturnal plants for her Herbology Project, which was due next month. She gave Ginny the same smile she had flashed at Harry and babbled something about heading to the Kitchen to pick up a snack during Prefect duties, which started in five minutes. Hermione noted that she functioned quite well on autopilot. She wandered up the stairs to drop off her bag. Once in her deserted dorm she prepared for Prefect duty. She had a quick shower and dressed in a hurry back into her robes performing a Drying Charm while applying some cream to her face. It wasn't long before she stepped back into the common room looking refreshed and ready to give out detentions. She had decided not to think any more about Professor Lupin. Instead she focused on other subjects.
"Hullo Hermione…missed you at dinner," Neville voiced breathlessly as he came up to her.
"I was wondering if you could help me out with a bit of a problem I have?" he asked. His cheeks had a healthy glow to them something that had been missing all the years she had known him.
"Of course, would you mind walking with me to the kitchens? I'm on duty. I have to meet Ron in twenty minutes but I was hoping to grab a snack." Neville smiled. His smile took her back to the early years when they were just kids, solving mysteries and learning about a world that they had only just begun to know.
They walked into the Entrance Hall and up to the main staircase, and then walked through the door at the right, into a long cold hallway, until finally reaching the portrait with the fruit bowl. Tickling the pear they entered the Kitchens. The high stonewalls stacked with brass pots did not detract from the warmth provided from the megalithic fireplace, which made coming all the more enjoyable for Hermione.
The House Elves were ecstatic to see them and at once began showering them with all kinds of foods. Dobby took special care of them, handing them each a few cream cakes. They were by far Hermione's favorite treats. When the House Elves finally left them alone Neville nervously shifted from one foot to the other obviously trying to search for the right words. Hermione's mind was soothed by the cold airy creaminess, it granting her refuge from the hectic days that had merged together to form her life. That reminded her she needed some sleep if she was going to be able to function the next day.
"So tell me Neville what's on your mind?" she said sensing his discomfort. Neville looked at her face and smiled, thankful that she had broken the ice first.
"I… I asked Luna if she would go with me to Hogsmeade," he sputtered.
"Neville that's brilliant!" Hermione proclaimed joyously.
"Yes well I have no clue as to what to do with her," he said sounding a bit frantic.
"Neville it's simple, all you have to do is take her to the Three Broomsticks; everything should go fine from there," she explained.
"Really?" he questioned hope creeping into his voice.
"Yes. Now I really must dash Neville, Ron will have kittens if he has to wait for me," she added with a smile. Neville smiled back and after thanking her profusely. They exited the Kitchen and headed in different directions. Hermione arrived seconds before Ron burst into the Charms classroom. His face as red as his hair and his hands balled up into fists, he was literally shaking with rage.
"Hermione," he bellowed in the guttural voice of his that made her insides vibrate. "Do you know what I just saw?" he asked his eyes she noticed had darkened to a deeper blue like a churning river. "I saw Finch –Fetchley talking to Lavender MY girlfriend Lavender!" he growled. She internally sighed with annoyance.
"Ron, stop being such a Troll. Just because Lavender decided to talk to another boy doesn't mean you can get all…."
"The bloody git was her Ex, he's trying to steal her from me!"
"Ron stop being ridiculous. She's not a possession. And they only went on ONE date. I would hardly classify him as her 'Ex'," Hermione argued using her bossy know-it-all voice. She knew it makes him angry.
"Hermione," he yelled beginning to rant while pacing back and forth across the room with his arms flailing about his head angrily.
"Ron would you just calm down. I'm sure Lavender wouldn't cheat on you especially not with Justin," she said trying to soothe him.
"Not everyone is like you Hermione," he yelled marching up and invading her personal space. This was a common tactic he used. Hermione had grown accustomed to it. So she stared up defiantly into his eyes and held her ground.
"Well Ron, excuse me for having some faith in your girlfriend," she yelled up at him his eyes slowly softened.
"You shouldn't. I'm going to break up with her," he said stepping away slightly and deflating a bit.
"What?" Hermione breathed aghast. "Why would you break up with her?" He turned away from her and faced the large mosaic window where the waxing moon shone through the thick black mist that sought to conquer the sky.
"Because I can't stop thinking about someone else," he whispered. Was that meant for me to hear? She wondered to herself stepping away from the desk to join him. He looked down at her as she stood by his side studying the crescent moon as the murky haze obscured it.
It's a third-quarter moon. Professor Lupin will transform soon, she mused in her mind. She noticed Ron staring at her and looked up at him. When their eyes locked he leaned down his lips brushed hers lightly as his hand tipped her chin up slightly. It was the way she had always hoped to be kissed and yet it wasn't right. It didn't feel right. She heard the door open and they both broke away and saw there in the doorway the very man her errant thoughts had rested on moments earlier.
