1
Everyone Knows
Everyone knew.
I mean, everyone!
Professor Dumbledore knew, ( and was suitably amused.)
Molly Weasly knew, and thought that it was sweet, but tragic.
Arthur Weasley knew, and thought a good nudge was needed.
Fred and George knew, and offered to provide that nudge.
Bill and Charlie Weasley knew, and had a good snicker, but offered no opinions.
Ron Weasley and Harry Potter knew, and they would occasionally nudge each other and have a good snicker; offering no opinions, except that they wanted to be witnesses to any bit of cleverness that Fred and George might provide.
Ginny Weasley knew it, and set herself up as a sort of double agent in the so-called affair, relaying what scanty information and gossip she could.
Professor McGonagall knew,( and was concerned)
Hagrid knew, ( and was simply...still Hagrid)
Professor Snape knew, ( and was suitably disgusted)
Tonks knew, ( and impressed . . . as well as intensely curious. )
Percy Weasley knew, and was aloof.
Everyone at the ministry of magic, where Hermione was employed, knew.
Everyone at Hogwarts knew...
Everyone who was working for the Order knew...
In fact there were only two people who did not know. Two people in the whole great, wide world. . .who did not know that Hermione Granger and Remus Lupin were in love, and had been for almost all of the eight years since Hermione had left school.
The only two people, it seemed, who were not privy to this marvelous and secret piece of gossip...were in fact, Hermione Granger...and Remus Lupin.
Such tragic irony that two of the Wizarding World's most clever people could not solve this conundrum by themselves.
The whole ordeal was so amusing in it's entirety, that Bill, and Harry and Ron, had begun a pool...betting on how soon or long it would take for the two people to finally ' see the light '.
So far, everyone except for Professor Snape had placed money in the pot, and Fred had transfigured the ever-growing sum of galleons into a decorative urn that sat unnoticed on the mantel in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.
Everyone generally agreed that it was almost indecent for two people to spend that much time and energy in deliberately not noticing each other's affections. It was not that they did not like each other; in fact they got along ' swimmingly ' as Molly said. They were great friends, and wonderful colleagues...always instinctively knowing each other's every thought and nuance, and they never stepped on each other's toes in any situation, no matter how hectic.
Indecent.
But surely there is a plausible reason for two people to place themselves in such misery?
Was it the Law?
Society?
Age?
Health?
Misunderstanding?
Even a horrible case of Bashfulness?
To know the answer, and to continue with the story, the issue must be looked at from both sides...