Disclaimer: You still don't believe me! After five chapters, you don't believe that I own nothing! I'm so mistrusted in this world.

Okay, I'll stop.

For anyone who was wondering, the necklace Remus gave Hermione in the last chapter has no significance. I just thought that it would be sweet. I actually happen to own that exact necklace, which is where I got the idea.

Chapter Six

Or Shadows and Snows, Feathers and Fangs

I can feel the magic floating in the air

Being with you gets me that way

I watch the sunlight dance across your face

And I've never been this swept away

All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze

When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms

The whole world just fades away

The only thing I hear is the beating of your heart

Cause I can feel you breathe

Just watching over me

And suddenly I'm melting into you

There's nothing left to prove

Baby all we need is just to be

Caught up in the touch

Slow and steady rush

Baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be?

I can feel you breathe

Just breathe- Faith Hill

Hermione's POV (about a month later, a few days before the full moon)

The room was perfect for what they were doing. It was dark and Hermione highly doubted that anyone would find them. A perfect place for two witches who were not just breaking school rules, but breaking the law.

"Okay, Hermione, it should be complete, all you have to do is drink this." She held up a flask of a green liquid. "If we've done every thing right, that is"

"Then you do it first,' said Hermione. Lily scowled then poured about a cup of the liquid into a glass and drank it. She shuddered then disappeared.

"Lily," said Hermione frantically. Oh God, what happened? Something was wrong with Lily.

"Lily, where are you?" she cried, scared that something horrible had befallen her.

"I'm right here," said Lily's voice from behind her. Hermione spun around. Lily was standing behind her, an expression of triumph plastered on her face.

"It worked?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"Yes," said Lily.

"Well, don't just stand there, show me." Lily nodded excitedly and in an instant she had disappeared again.

"Can you show yourself?" Hermione yelled staring around. She felt something land on her shoulder and saw a bright snowy owl perched there staring at her.

"Hi, Hedwig," she said absently. "I don't have a letter for you-Wait!" Ther owl flew off and landed on the ground where it transformed into Lily.

"What's this Hedwig stuff?" said Lily.

"It's an owl I know,' said Hermione thunderstruck. "Harry's owl."

Lily looked as though she wanted to ask some questions but was resisting. "Well, come on, let's see you."

Hermione poured herself a glass of the green potion and drank it quickly. It was sour and she could feel it run through her veins like ice. Then without warning she felt her head shrink, her body drew closer to the floor, an odd prickling feeling spread throughout her body.

It stopped as suddenly as it started. She was on all fours, staring up at Lily who was in turn staring back at her. Hermione wasn't sure what was making her smile so comically. She had started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" she asked, turning back into herself and placing her hands on her hips.

"Hermione, get a good look at yourself," said Lily through a burst of laughter. "I shouldn't laugh but, oh." She collapsed onto herself and giggled. "Do it again and you'll see what I mean." Hermione bent down and transformed again. Lily conjured a mirror and put it down in front of Hermione's face.

"Oh my God!" she gasped, transforming back into herself quickly and staring at the mirror. "Oh my God!"

"Isn't that weird," said Lily, placing the mirror on the table that they had kept the ingredients on. "I mean, just really bizarre. Even for a future girl."

"This has nothing to do with where I come from. Animagi counterparts have to do with a personality."

"That makes it make sense. But it's still weird. I mean, out of all the animals that one."

"What?"

"Huh?"

"You're not making sense."

"Neither are you, Mione."

"Let's just leave it."

Remus's POV (the day of the full moon)

"Remus I need your permission to go with you guys."

"Why?"

"You'll find out if you tell me I can go."

"Hermione, can you please tell me what you're doing?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Can you at least tell me when?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

"But," he leaned forward over his cauldron. "Tonight's the full moon."

"Exactly," said Hermione, splashing a few drops into the potion.

"Hermione, you know I won't let you come down. With or without the potion. I don't want you to."

"Just this once?"

"Why?"

"You'll find out if you let me."

"Well you can't."

"Why, you let me last time."

"Last time you came down even though I asked you not to. It was okay, but I'd rather you not do it again."

"Oh, there are so many things I do in vain."

"Hermione!"

"Just know that even if you say no, I'll be down there for a little while."

Hermione's POV

"Hey Hermione, look at this."

"What?" She leaned over the table. They had about two hours till sunset and both girls were extremely nervous. Lily was holding a thick History book in her hands.

"This," said Lily pointing to the page. "The Time Enchantress."

"What's that?" asked Hermione. She found herself intrigued.

"The Time Enchantress is a being reported to exist but the true basis is in story. Time Enchantress is the title of the woman who possesses the power and personality of the original woman, Alix Redomar. The personalities vary, but a strong intelligence, will, and pride always seem to be common.

"The power however is what makes this position. The power to shift through time, hence the title Time Enchantress. This woman has the power to travel through time and to change events or occurrences that mere mortals cannot.

"This legend is believed to be true and still in effect. A girl is chosen at her birth by fate or the power itself and when she dies, it is passed to another girl. The power can not appear in a witch for years; it seems to wait for the right one. However no accounts of Time Enchantresses have been brought forth more recently that in the sixteenth century, when the power was possessed by Anne Boleyn. Unfortunately she did not realize her power until her death was certain and was not able to master in time to save herself. Muggles were right in believing that their King's second wife was a witch." Lily shut the book and placed it on the table.

"Wow,' said Hermione. A whole new possibility was opening to her.

"I know. I mean, it may really be only legend, but you could get home if we could find her," said Lily.

Hermione stared out the window at the setting sun. Another thought had re-entered her brain and was starting to feel guilty.

"Hermione?" said Lily, waving a hand in front of her face. 'Hello?"

"Yeah," she said, turning back to Lily.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked, looking concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Hermione.

"No you're not. Tell me what's wrong."

"I don't know if I want to go back. I mean, a part of me does, but I can't leave."

"But you said we are all there?"

"Yes, you are," Hermione lied. "But it'll be a little bit different."

"How?"

"If I go back I can't tell anyone what happened first of all and I'm going to be expected to be Harry's girlfriend again."

"You could break up."

"But I couldn't be with Remus. He's twenty years older."

"No-Oh yeah."

"And I don't want to leave him. I love him and I can't go back and pretend that I don't know him."

They sat in silence, neither able to think of something to say. The thought of leaving scared Hermione. She couldn't. Remus wouldn't let her and on top of that, she wouldn't let herself.

"What are you two doing?"

"Hi James," said Hermione not looking up. "Just thinking."

"About what? Your big 'secret' plan," said Sirius.

"What?" said Hermione looking up. She noticed Remus and Peter weren't with them.

"You two really need to choose your hiding places more carefully," said Sirius. Hermione smiled in memory of him saying the same thing to her in her fifth year.

"The hall behind that portrait on the seventh floor? God, and you left all your stuff there too. Anyone could have found that."

"But who would have known that it was us?" asked Lily defensively.

Sirius pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket. "Anyone who knows your handwriting."

Lily grabbed the paper. Looking at it, Hermione saw that it was the one Lily had written all the steps on. "How many people do though?"

"All the teachers," said James sitting down. "They could have recognized it in a second. Hermione wouldn't be too hard to guess after that. You two are always together and it was pretty clear that there was enough stuff there for two."

"Do you think anyone else found it?"

"Everything looked relatively undisturbed, so if anyone did, it wouldn't have been anyone who knew what it was. So,' said Sirius, his hand on Hermione's shoulder. "What are you two?"

"Nuh-uh, you are not getting that," said lily. "You'll all find out tonight."

"Why don't I just tell Remus what you two are up to then," said Sirius.

"No!" said Hermione.

"Then tell us," said Sirius. Lily rolled her eyes and whispered in James's ear. He passed in on to Sirius who whistled. "Oh that's good Mione."

"Keep it down," she begged.

"Oh this'll be fun tonight. Peter will freak out."

"Shut up, or I'll tell McGonagall that you are the ones who dropped those dungbombs in the entrance hall yesterday."

"She probably already knew that," said James.

"YOU DID WHAT?" screeched Lily. "How come you didn't tell me about this?"

"Because of that," said Hermione, holding a hand to her ear.

Remus's POV

He knew they had been whispering when he came in. He could tell. Lily, Hermione, James, and Sirius we draped a little too casually on the chairs. Lily's feet were in a position that suggested she had been leaning forward, instead of deep in her armchair.

"Hey guys," he said, passing the odd behavior by. "What's up?"

"Nothing,' said Hermione, leaning over and kissing his cheek.

"Uh-huh," he said looking at their faces. Lily's eyes met James's for a second then back to his. "Come on, what were you talking about?"

"Nothing," said James.

"Yeah, I bet they haven't told you what they're doing. They need last minute help huh?"

"No actually we're all done, and you are just going to have to wait until tonight to figure out what."

"And you tell those two," he said incredulously.

"No umm, actually I guess they're smart enough to figure it out on their own."

"Implying that I'm not?"

"No," said Hermione.

"Yes," said Sirius and James together at the same time. Lily hit James playfully. Remus noted how the two them looked together, so, so happy, as if they couldn't live without the other. He felt the same way about his Mione.

Hermione's POV

The sun set slowly and despite how hard he hid it, Hermione could feel Remus get slowly tenser and tenser. She knew she was causing this. He has no idea what I'm doing, she thought. He probably thinks I'm getting into trouble.

The common room was mostly empty when he finally stood up to leave. Only Lily, James, Sirius, Peter, and herself remained.

"We'll be down in a couple minutes mate." said Sirius quietly. Remus nodded and turned to her. She stood up and he grabbed her hand.

"Please," he whispered. "Just stay here. Whatever it is you're doing, don't do it. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I won't. You have the potion, and even if it didn't work-"

"Hermione you promised me you wouldn't."

"Just once. If you decide after tonight I still can't, I won't ever. But one time."

"Hermione, how are you so stubborn?"

"Experience with boys."

"I'm begging you Hermione. There is no guarantee that you won't get hurt. You or anyone."

"I wouldn't ever hold you responsible. You would, but I wouldn't."

"Exactly, I would. I couldn't live with myself."

"Remus, I promise I'll be careful. You need to go."

"I can't force you, but I can beg."

"Beg as you will, but I'll be down there."

He sighed and wrapped her in his arms. She welcomed his hands on her back, as she did his lips on her mouth. "Go," she whispered. "You don't want to be late." She felt him nod into her hair. He let go of her and she watched him disappear through the portrait hole. She hated having to break her promise, but he would feel differently when he knew what they had done. She was sure of it.

Fifteen minutes later James and the others went down. They couldn't all go at once, the invisibility cloak was much to small for that. The boys would go down, then James would come back up for the two of them.

"Hermione, I-"

"If you're going to talk to me about the time enchantress, forget it. I belong here."

"I wasn't going to say anything about that. I was thinking we could surprise the boys."

"How?"

"Instead of you coming with us, what if you transformed in the forest and pretended to 'attack' us. That would definetly be funny."

Hermione considered.

"Think about it. You come out of the forest on a full moon, acting all scary."

"Yeah,' she said smiling. "We could have fun with this."

"Have fun with what?"

James was back. "Hermione's going to overtake us outside," said Lily, with a devilish grin.

James laughed. "Oh I should take a camera and take a picture of Wormtail's face. This'll be good."

"Just don't tell the others."

"No problem. Now come on, I bet you want to get down there."

Hermione hurried under the cloak and the three of them ran down the corridor. Hermione could hardly stand the anticipation. Not only for scaring the boys, but also Remus's reaction when he figured it out. He had to be happy.

They got outside and Hermione transformed before running into the forest. Her powerful paws thudded on the ground but she knew no one could hear it on the grass. The forest hid her once she was inside and she saw a stag trotting with an owl on its antlers trotting over to a dark shape she knew was Sirius and a wolf. A rat would be somewhere around thee too.

Remus's POV

"Where's Hermione?" Remus asked James, hoping she was okay, but wanting her not to come. He stared at James, who looked very odd with an owl on his antler. Sirius was sniggering.

"She's coming," James said casually.

"What's with the owl?" said Peter, scampering up his shoulder for a closer look.

"I dunno, she won't get off," said James sarcastically.

"Oh so it's a 'she'" said Sirius, barely containing his laughter. The owl flew over to him and pecked his neck. "Ow, I was joking Lil!"

"Lil!" said Remus.

"Nice going," said the owl, flying back to James.

"Lily?" Remus asked.

"Hi," she said.

"That's all you have to say,' he said shocked. "So this is what you and Hermione were doing? You were sneaking around school becoming Animagi! Illegally?"

"We're not the first."

"I can't believe you. And you blew up at them?"

"Will you be more surprised if I tell you that it was my idea?"

Remus couldn't speak. Lily Evans encouraging Hermione Granger, not only to break school rules, but the law? She had completely twisted up his world.

A growl distracted his thoughts. Sirius had turned to the forest and was intently looking at something hidden behind the trees. A growl emitted from between two and a pair of glowing eyes appeared.

"Oh my God," squeaked Peter. "It's a werewolf!"

"You just figured that out," said Remus sarcastically.

"No, I mean in the forest." Peter gasped as a purely silver nose poked through the shadow followed by wolf's body. Remus knew that this was no werewolf. But it wasn't any gray wolf. There was something different.

The wolf growled and came closer. Remus could hear Peter squeaking in terror below him. The wolf barked and ran at him. Remus braced himself and pushed Sirius out of the way.

The wolf came at him and easily knocked him over. Her front paws were preventing him from getting back up. He could see her eyes now. They were brown and they reminded him of someone.

He was distracted by laughter. Incredulously, he turned his head and saw James and Sirius stifling their amusement. Lily was positively shrieking and rolling over.

Laughter above him made him turn back to the wolf. She was obviously finding this amusing. Her brown eyes were filled laughter and he realized-

"Hermione?"

Even thought he knew wolves had a hard time visibly smiling, he could tell she was. He could feel it from her. "Hey."

"Bloody hell," he said in shock. She laughed again. "I'm serious."

"I know," she said. "Surprised me too."

He couldn't believe it. He animagus was a wolf. He knew animagus transformations couldn't tell the future, but Hermione, the girl he loved and loved him back, her animagus counterpart was a wolf.

And he was a werewolf.

His life couldn't be any stranger.

"Say something?" she said. Her eyes were penetrating.

"Wow." He couldn't say anything else.

"Is that it?"

"Pretty much."

She came closer to him. He still couldn't believe it. She whispered in his ear "Can I stay?"

"Now that you're down here, you might as well." She laughed. "Yes, you can. You can come."

"Thanks."

"Sorry to break this up, but are we going to do anything tonight besides listen to you two talk?"

"Sure Sirius,' said Hermione. "What do we want to do?"

"How a bout Hogsmeade?"

"Sure."

"Wait," said James.

"What?" asked Sirius annoyed.

"Shouldn't they have nicknames?"

"Now why would we want to do that?" said Sirius, jokingly.

"Oh, we already have those,' said Lily. Remus turned to her.

"You gave each other nicknames without us?" he said in a falsely hurt voice.

"Well, you four decided yours, so we did ours," said Hermione simply.

"All right then, what are they?"

"Well, Lily is Snowfeather," said Hermione.

"And Mione is Shadowfang," said lily.

"Shadowfang and Snowfeather,' said Remus to himself. "I like them."

"Good, cause we wouldn't change them even if you didn't," said Lily.

Hermione's POV

She was leaning against something soft and warm. She snuggled closer to it, smiling to herself. Her night had been wonderful. She didn't know if she had ever felt happier.

Something beside her gave a low, sleepy growl. Remus, she thought. I must still be outside.

She opened her eyes. The gray walls of the shrieking shack met them. Through the dirt streaked window, she saw that the moon was still up but it was almost morning.

She looked the other way and saw Remus lying beside her. He was sleeping and his paw was over her. Glancing around she saw with amusement that James was lying in a corner, Lily in between his forelegs. Sirius was near the door and curled up in a hole in the wall was Peter.

They had obviously come back. Yes, she remembered now. They had gone to Hogsmeade. They had all been tired by midnight and had come back to the Shrieking Shack. She laid her head back down and smiled to herself. She could practically feel Remus's happiness radiating off of him, spreading to her. She knew how he must feel. She had surprised all of them, but the effect it had on Remus was incredible. He had been so happy, but there was more to it than that, she knew it. He couldn't believe what she had done, done for him. His gratitude was beyond measure, but she didn't need it. She loved him, so even if he had scorned or made fun of her, she wouldn't have cared. Not that he ever would. That was what she loved about him.

"Hermione?'

She turned to Remus. He was awake and watching her. His blue gaze was locked with hers.

She leaned her head to his and whispered in his ear "Good morning. Well, not quite morning, but 'good-night' didn't really seem right."

He smiled and sat up. She followed and leaned against him. He stared down at her, blue eyes twinkling. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too,' she said. She could see the very beginning rays of the sun creep over the horizon, so that the black sky became a deep dark purple.

"What are you thinking?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know," she said honestly. "There are too many things in my head to think of one in particular."

He nuzzled his nose into her fur. "I can't believe you did this. I told you that you never had to do anything."

"But I wanted to," she pressed. "I will do anything for you, capture the giant squid, jump off the astronomy tower, anything."

"I'd rather you not do either of those."

She laughed, loving him next to her. "I'd do anything."

"I don't know why," he said bitterly.

She looked at him in shock. What did he mean?

"I never did anything for you."

"You never had to, but you did."

"What did I do?"

"Something you do everyday, whether or not I ask you. Which I don't."

"What?'

"Everyday you tell me you love me. Everyday you show that love, by offering to do my homework for me or conjuring me flowers. I don't need you to do anything except that. That's all I need in the world." She was amazed at how passionate she sounded without trying.

Remus exhaled heavily. "All I do is make your life harder."

"No you don't," she said soothingly.

"This," he said, looking at his werewolf form "it's horrible. It's a destruction. You probably already know what I will have to face outside of school. I don't talk about it with anybody really, but it won't be school, protected by the brick walls and thousands of spells. It'll be the real world. No one wants a werewolf working for them."

Hermione leaned her head against him, willing him to stop even though she knew he was right. There was so much he was going to face outside of school, and she knew it, knew it fuller than he did.

"Remus-"

"Don't tell me I'm wrong Hermione. I appreciate it, but you and I both know that, in the views of the wizarding world, I am nothing, less than nothing."

"Not to me,' she said. She felt his head turn to look at her. "Not to me, not to James or Sirius or Peter. Not to Lily. Not to Dumbledore. We won't see you fall because we won't let you."

"Hermione-"

"Remus, it's who you are. True it's not a direct reflection, but it's become a part of you. You wouldn't be Remus without it. I'll admit, I don't think anyone would like it, I know you don't, but it's shaped your personality. Without it you wouldn't be my Remus. I don't know who you'd be, but I love you, not just despite it, because of it."

Remus laid his head back on top of her head. Hermione noticed that the sky had lightened some more and the moon was fading.

"Remus,' she whispered.

"Yes,' he murmured into her head. She nodded to the sky. "Go!'

"What?"

"Leave. I don't want you to see."

Already she could see the setting moon begin to have its effect on Remus. He had started to jerk uncontrollably. She found that she couldn't move, but she wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to. It was horrifying, but she couldn't leave him.

"Go,' he said, but somehow he had grabbed her front leg with his half human hand and Hermione couldn't get out of his grip. She transformed back into herself and held his hand. He was writhing on the floor of the Shrieking Shack, dist coming up, but Hermione hardly noticed. She didn't even care that the circulation in he hand was being cut off; all she cared about was that Remus was okay.

She closed her eyes, both furious for doing so and thankful that she didn't have to watch the scene. She could tell the pain by the pressure on her hand and the sound of him writhing on the floor.

Suddenly the choked yells were replaced with a gasping breathing. She opened her eyes. Remus was lying on the floor, freezing sweat dripping off his body, his breathing ragged. His own eyes were closed. His grip on her had loosened.

"Hermione?' he asked, opening his eyes. They were filled with terror, but not like a nightmare. A terror that repeated itself constantly, but never ceased to scare. "Hermione."

"I'm here Remus,' she said, wiping some of the sweat off his brow.

"Why didn't you leave?" he gasped.

"I don't know if I would have even if you hadn't been grabbing me."

He gave a shaky laugh that turned into a cough.

"You have to go,' he said. "Dumbledore will be here soon."

"I can't leave," she said exasperatedly.

"You have to. I don't want you in trouble. Wake the others."

Hermione did what he asked. She got Lily up, who transformed and helped her wake the others.

"We've got to go,' she said to the reluctant Sirius. "Dumbledore will be down here."

No one could wake Peter, so Lily chose to carry him in her pocket. Before going down the passage she looked back at Remus. He appeared to be asleep again. She hated to leave him, but he had asked her and she figure she might as well do on thing he asked that night.

I think I'm trying to save the world for you

You've been saving me, too.

We could just stay in and save each other

And when the world is on its knees

With me, it's fine

And when I come to the rescue

I get nothing but left behind

Everybody seems to be getting what they need

Where's mine?

'Cause you're what I need so very

But I'm anything but ordinary- Train

Okay, sorry this was a couple days off. My computer went all weird on me over the weekend. I hope the chapter made up for it.

Congratulations to amrawo, Dragon the evil dictator, and Mitsuki Ashya! You three all guessed what Hermione and Lily were doing!

Replies:

catchersoftballgirl: Sorry about the double cliffie. I hate 'em to. I'm so happy that there is another story I write that you like so much. Please update yours too.

Adi Gallia1: Verne is the new defense teacher in Hermione's real time. And she has a pretty important role, if not in this story, then in the sequel I am planning for this. I know Hermione/Remus is weird but they're cool. In a very weird way. If you want more there are plenty on my favorites list.

Captain Oblivious: Confusing yourself is never fun, but you have it. It plays a part in the sequel that will come. Unfortunately I cannot answer any questions, but keep guessing. I like finding out what you think!

Me: You're welcome. I never thought I'd ever get it on here, or if I did it would be so popular. I know 36 reveiws isn't really that much compared to authors like Stars Enchantress and DisneyDoll0424, who have like a zillion, but it's a lot for me.

Black-rose23: Are you surprised?

BlackPaintedWhite: I love your name first of all, and I planned to have this up sooner but fate is so unfair and all that jazz.

StarRegina: I am so disappointed in you! I thought you would have figured it out! I showed you my story plan! Ugh! What do I do with you!

Noonespecial: You are welcome. Kewel name.

Dracula5555: Fluff and fluff and Fluff!

Next Chapter: Dunno what it's called. (No StarRegina, that's not the title of the chapter.)

Remus and Hermione talk (a lot)

As for the rest, I'm not sure. My story plan disappeared and I always consult it before I put something in.

Okay, the Time Enchantress option will be brought up again. By who, I don't know.

Apologize once again for the delay, Review!

Gwen Worshipper.