Well here is Chapter 24. YAY! Isn't this exciting? I am going to try to have 30 chapters. I think that sounds just about right. It might be a little under or a little over though. I have not written it all so I have no idea. That is my plan.
Well I might as well update this chapter. This assuredly will not be happening once I start up school again.
Remus' point of view will be introduced in this chapter.
Please check out my other SS/HG which I have started posting. It would mean a lot to me.
I hope you all enjoy. I think I have wasted enough of your time if you read this...please review. I will remind you again at the bottom.
- July 31, 1998-
-Harry Potter's Birthday Party -
Sirius and I arrived right on time at Harry's Birthday Party.
"Hermione," Harry shouted to me and he came bounding up excitedly. He engulfed me in his arms. "I've missed you. I guess you've been busy with the Lycanthropy Potion."
"Yeah," I answered with a small smile. "It's been a lot of work."
"Promise me a dance," Harry requested turning his large green eyes toward me. "Please."
"Of course," I answered shooting a nervous look at my fiancé. He nodded aquiescently.
Sirius' grip on my hand tightened as the next member of the party arrived, Severus Snape. He jerked me closer as his hand clenched my hip.
Professor Snape forced a smile in my direction. He looked terrible. I felt sickened to see him in that condition. He was thinner than ever and dark circles ringed his eyes. His eyes were lackluster and dispassionate. The anger and glowing had vanished. It looked like it had been gone for a while.
"Hello Hermione," he said quietly. His voice, too, was different. It was dull and nonplussed. I had caught none of this in the letters he had sent to me. His letters had let none of his feelings out. He looked like a starving man. I don't just mean his physical deterioration either. He looked emotionally emaciated like he thought no one had cared in a long time. It ripped at you, grabbed your beating heart and ripped it out shredding it into millions of tiny pieces. I wanted to just go and hold him. I made an attempt to free myself from the yoke of Sirius' hold but it was futile. He just forced me to move closer to him.
"Hermione," Remus exclaimed excitedly as he flung his arms around me.
"Hello Hermione," Ron said turning several different shades of pink. "I would like to make ammends for the terrible way I've been behaving toward you the last six months or so. Please Forgive Me."
"It's alright Ron. I forgive you," I said. "We do not need to talk of this again."
"Really Hermione, I am sorry. I'd like to ask you to my wedding. We're planning our wedding on Halloween. Albus has agreed to preform the ceremony."
"Congratulations. Who's the lucky girl?" I asked shooting a suspicious look at Harry.
"I just found out today too," he shrugged.
"Parvati," he called over his shoudler.
A wildly grinning Parvati Patil came flying to his side like a loyal niffler and seized his arm pressing her cheek against it.
Ron smirked down at her.
"I heard you got a job with the Chudley Canons," I said in an attempt to change the subject even though I could hardly stand all the Quidditch talk. At least I would be able to comfortably stay out of the conversation and be able to wonder about Severus who was standing alone in the shadows. Sirius drew me even closer to him.
"Yeah," Ron answered grinning. Something must've caught his eye because he turned. "Harry, why'd you invite Snape?" Ron sneered derisively as he said Professor Snape's name.
"Remus planned this party. He's the one who decided who to invite," Harry said and he, too, looked rather annoyed by the lack of respect Ron was showing for our former Professor.
"Professor Snape is a brilliant, kind gentleman, Ronald," I said vociferously.
Sirius grabbed my chin and forced me to look him in the eye.
My mind went blissfully blank as I stared into his eyes.
- Severus Snape -
I kept my eyes locked on Sirius Black as I had every time I saw Miss Granger with him.In order to help her I had to learn what potions to use which meant knowing what potions he had used to alter her memories and feelings.
I couldn't hear their topic of conversation but I could tell that it had really infuriated Black. I carefully pulled out a roll of parchment where I'd written all the observations I'd made of Miss Granger's and Black's behavior around each other.
I'd been pretty sick lately. I'd lost way more weight than what was healthy. It was even worse considering the fact that I'd been skinny to start with. I was suffering emotionally as well as physically. I'd not heard from Jane in almost four months. I ached inside. I thought she said we would be together soon. I guess when I thought of soon it was different than what Jane thought of as soon.
"Time for Harry to open his presents," Remus announced. He bustled over and hearded all of usover to the table.
I sighed and walked over to take a seat.
Harry was seated behind a table of presents. He was all smiles.
Harry took one and slowly opened it. It was a broomstick servicing kit.
"Happy Birthday Harry," Ron said with a grin. He had his arm draped over Parvati's shoulders.
"Thanks Ron."
Harry tore through the rest of his gifts; chocolate frogs from Remus, a bag of jokes from the weasley twins -A.K.A. the menaces of Hogwarts-, and too many more to mention. Most of them were from the admiring public.
It was now the last present.
"Who is this from?" Harry asked quietly after he opened the envelope and looked over the contents.
"What is it?" Hermione asked going closer to him and looking over his shoulders.
"It's a deed to a house and land in Godric's Hollow. It's the deed to my parent's house," he said looking around at all of us. "Who gave this to me? Was it one of you?"
I stepped forward out of the shadows.
"Professor Snape? You're the one who got this for me?" he asked looking up at me with an wonderous look on his face.
I nodded and looked down at the man. He had saved my life in the final battle after all. It was the least I could do for him.
"I must leave now," I said and with a crack I disapparated.
- Remus Lupin -
I observed Severus and Hermione with a very heavy heart. My new friend and my old friend were trying so hard. It made my whole being ache to see them in such pain for one another.
They had become friends. That much was obvious and that was a wonderful start.
Hermione was in trouble though. I had to find away to break whatever spells or enchantments my friend, Sirius, had performed on her. She was in deep trouble. I had to help her.
Harry and she were dancing now. Sirius came over and stood next to me.
"Sirius, what have you done to Miss Granger?" I inquired.
"I have done nothing to her. She does not desire our relationship to get physical before we are married. I can respect that. We are in love."
"Sirius that is not what I meant and you know it. What have you done which caused her to care for you? Her feelings came out of nowhere. I know. She told me before who she had feelings for and suddenly the next day you were the only thing she was willing to talk about. She also told me that she had been attacked. Remarkably the only thing she remembered of the attack was someone forcing her to drink a potion," I said quietly. "Please tell me what is going on Sirius."
"Who did she tell you she had feelings for?" Sirius said. "It was dangerous that she liked who she liked. I couldn't allow it to continue and if you want me to tell you what I did you can forget it."
"It is just fine that Hermione liked who she liked. You have hurt her. You're harming her with your behavior. I can not believe you are still harboring old grudges against Severus. You are so childish," I said. I spoke the last bit under my breath. "You are only interrupting true feelings and no good can come of it. You will end up hurting yourself. Remember what happened with Jane. You hurt her and poisoned her against you. You are just making it worse."
"Making it worse?" Sirius asked turning to me. "What do you mean? From the way you are talking it sounds as if Jane is Hermione, which is not possible old friend."
I shrugged.
"So Hermione is Jane and she really didn't die. Well now she is with who she should have been with to start with. Can't you see she is better off with me? We deserve each other," Sirius said with a wicked, devilish smirk. "Finally the universe makes sense again. As soon as we are married we will let dear old Snivelly in on the secret. After all then there is nothing he or she can do about it. No divorce in the wizarding world. No way to break the spell."
I glared at him. "Sirius, you can't do this. You won't get away with it."
"I think I already did. I think I already have."
"Don't do this."
"I have made up my mind. She loves me."
"She doesn't. She only thinks she does because of whatever you did to her."
"SHE LOVES ME!" Sirius yelled. "I LOVE HER!"
"Sirius, calm down," the soft voice of my best friend said as she touched Sirius' shoulder.
Sirius grasped her and pulled her to his chest tightly. Hermione lost her breath.
"Let's go Hermione," he ordered looking me over digustedly and suspiciously.
"Sirius, I'm having fun. I want to stay."
"NOW!" Sirius barked taking hold of her arm.
"Sirius.."
"SHUT UP!" he snapped.
"Are you guys okay?" Harry asked coming over.
"Sirius, you're hurting me. Let go."
"Shut up," Sirius said forcing Hermione to look him in the eye.
Hermione's eyes glazed over and soon she was giving him a look of blind adoration.
"Sirius, are you and Hermione leaving?" Harry asked.
"We have some things we need to talk over. We are still trying to get Hermione comfortable in her new house. Isn't that right darling?"
"Yes, that is right my dear," Hermione said with the same blank and blind look of adoration.
"Good-bye Harry," Sirius said. "I'm sorry we can't stay longer. Stop by Hogwarts tomorrow before you leave for auror training."
"Sorry Harry but please stop by my house in Hogsmeade and talk to me before you leave."
Sirius grabbed her and they double apparated away.
I caught a pair of brown eyes that had been watching the whole exchange quietly. It was time to bring someone else into my plans. I needed help and this person was just who I was looking for. We would fix this problem before the end of the year. Severus and Hermione would be together.
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