21

The joke is on me? The joke is on you!

Hermione was actually quite amazed at just how easy it was to walk into Grimmauld Place behind Ginny, and confront the other members of the Order. She could not quite read the expressions on the faces of her friends and colleagues, though, and she took it to mean they were both surprised and slightly curious. She had no way of realizing that each of them was trying very hard not to break into triumphant snickers. Well, not each of them. Professor Snape actually seemed to be in some sort of pain. His face was contorted, and he kept squirming in his seat.

Whatever was bothering him seemed to have been contagious, for both of Ginny's twin brothers seemed to be equally fidgety. . .much to everyone else's annoyance. Dumbledore conducted the meeting just as if it were any other regular conference, but Hermione and Remus realized immediately that they were being brought ' up to date' on recent events. There was not much to learn, but they were thankful for the routine, as it kept them form having to sit through any embarrassing silences.

Besides, she could almost swear that they were being watched. Not watched as in. . .stared at because they had just been part of a long gossip fest; but watched as if the watchers were expecting them to suddenly break into song or dance. Maybe they were waiting to see whether or not they sprouted wings or antennae. . .Hermione didn't know, she just knew that their little eyes were giving her the creeps.

She caught Harry watching her and gave him a piercing glare that made him blush, offering her a sheepish grin. She turned only to catch Fred and George poking each other and whispering. Deciding that a glare would only encourage them further, she opted for ignoring their antics. If they were all going to act like teenagers again, then she was not stooping to their level.

". . .and as much as I dislike having to bring these accounts to your attentions, I believe that if they are not quashed early, they may interfere with your career at the ministry."

Hermione cast an disdainful eye down to another stack of letters on the table, and gave a small laugh.

" Oh, I don't really believe it could go that far, do you Headmaster? Just another scandal, soon replaced by the next." she waved her hand as if it meant nothing.

" Several of these are requests for you to be fired from your position: ' Obviously someone of purer blood would not have brought such shame and scandal to one of our most respected institutions'. . ." was one of the quotes."

" Sounds like something a Malfoy would say ." Hermione wrinkled her nose.

" Not a Malfoy, THE Malfoy, actually." said Ron.

" Since when has the Ministry ever been respected?" laughed George.

" There were a few brutal requests to ' put the animal to sleep' before it could spread it's' filthy disease' even further."

"What anim- oh! Oh! That is horrid! The bloody. . .bastards!" Hermione couldn't find a word strong enough to describe her true emotion, but it was good enough.

" That is why we need to be certain that Remus is kept safely out of the mob's reach. You need to drink the wolfsbane potion, and remain here until after the moon has begun it's wane. "

Remus looked as though he were about to inform them all that he could take perfect care of himself, he did not need to be coddled like a baby. But it was the earnest pleading look in Hermione's eyes that kept him silent. He had come too far and gained too much to risk being executed now, and leaving her alone. Quaint images of their time together flickered through his mind, a series of events beginning with the time at the fountain, and playing right up to that morning when they been about to share a steamy shower together before Ginny had interrupted.

He looked up from his reverie in time to catch a rather green expression on Snape's face.

'Serves him right, ' Remus thought. 'That is what he gets for rooting around in other people's thoughts.'

Snape glared at him.

Heard that too, eh?

Snape turned away, sticking his large nose up into the air, as he searched for the flask of wolfsbane potion. He could barely resist a tiny smile as he handed the bottle to Remus. No need to make him suspicious.

Too late, Remus was already examining the bottle as if it might explode at any moment. He hadn't forgotten the giggling agony of last month, and even with Dumbledore's assurance that this time there would be no accidents, he still raised a wary brow as he tipped the flask up and downed the contents. Well, it wouldn't do to let Severus think he was scared !

The potion tasted fine. . .well, as fine as it ever tasted. But then, the last one had tasted fine too. He waited for a few moments, afraid to move unless it trigger an adverse reaction,opening his eyes only after Hermione poked him, bringing to his attention that he was still fine, and that Dumbledore was speaking again.

"...do something about this mess." he pushed the letters across to them.

" Do what?" Hermione asked. " How about I burn the entire lot and pretend that-"

She was interrupted by a crash from the other room, followed by a few low curses. Another tripping sound, before the kitchen door crashed open and Tonks stumbled into the room, her face red and her clothes disheveled.

" Sorry I'm late! " she laughed. " But I was. . .caught up. "

" Ahuh." said Ron and Harry.

Remus was suddenly inundated by a strange and pungent aroma, that he recognized immediately. It was lingering around Tonk's. . .and he knew, that if any of the other's seated around the table had senses as sharp as his own, they would have, no doubt, detected the same aroma lingering around his and Hermione's clothing. He felt himself flush slightly,. . .and made a note to tease Tonk's a little, just as soon as he could find the right time.

Now was not it. Everyone at the table was looking at them, waiting to see what they were going to do.

" Well, he is going into seclusion for three days. And I am going back to work at the ministry." Hermione said lightly. " And as far as I am concerned everyone else can mind their own business."

This comment was not directed at the other members of the Order, for she did not know that they were a meddlesome lot. However each of them pulled back from the table slightly, as though slapped, and some even had the decency to appear guilty.

" Well. . .not. . .to sound as. . .nosy as they , I just want to let you know that we worry about you Hermione dear. About both of you, and want to be certain that the two of you can be happy without having this. . .ugliness hanging over your heads." Molly said, fidgeting slightly.

" Yes. . .it's just unfortunate that this occurred. . .but the suddenness of your disappearance aroused. . ." Minerva McGonagall winced as the word fell out of her mouth, sounding louder and more pointed than the other's. ". . .suspicions. I am sure there is nothing to talk about. However, if everyone is watching you Hermione, then you may have to refrain from meeting with the Order for a while. . .it might be too dangerous."

" Yes. If you are being closely watched or followed, someone might accidentally notice some strange patterns in your behavior, that lead to the discovery of our underground networks. There are spies who could quite easily leap on this opportunity to disguise their true intentions. " agreed Dumbledore.

" Then what do you advise?" asked Hermione, looking very much as she had in school when listening to the opinion of someone she disagreed with. She was holding her indignation in check, but Remus could feel a slight rise in her temperature.

He also found that if he leaned idly on his elbow, he could both admire her cleavage and take in her essence without seeming too close. He was positive he looked perfectly casual.

To everyone else at the table, he looked perfectly conspicuous. Just like they could tell by the way that Hermiones arm was moving that she was not nervously wiping her palm on her robes. She was playing with his knee. . .and every-so-often his face would go goofy and he almost grinned. She did a much better job of pretending she did not notice him breathing down her collar, but it only made her seem more obvious, because if anyone else had gotten that close to Hermione, they would have been rolling around on the floor with a Jelly-Leg curse.

" . . .either to go out in public,or keep out of the workings of the Order until the sea calms." Dumbledore was saying. Remus tried to shake himself awake. . .she was driving him crazy under there, and the only thing she was touching was his knee.

Go public or hide. He sighed. Hermione sighed too, and they looked at each other. He raised his brow in question, and she shrugged as if to say;

' Well. . .why not? Now or never, I guess.'

They stood up.

" What are you doing?" asked Ron. Ginny kicked him under the table and mouthed an order to not interrupt.

" Going public. " Remus replied, smiling. He took Hermione's hand in his own and cleared his throat.

This was it! Everyone leaned forward expectantly, some for different reasons than the others. There were many combinations of words that Remus could say. . .and most of them would put an end to the ongoing bet.

A few of them would suffice to make Severus Snape and the Weasley twins incredibly happy. The joke was on Hermione and Remus today! They practically rubbed their hands together.

But the words he spoke were so unexpected, that for a moment it took everyone at the table a moment to realize that they had actually been uttered.

" Hermione and I would like to make and announcement. We are officially, as of yesterday. . .and I am sure that some of you might have guessed already," he winked " very much and completely. . ." he paused for the dramatic effect, and everyone squirmed, waiting for the announcement of love. . .

Remus glanced down at her and she smiled up at him, and they said it together. . .

" MARRIED"