A.N. I'm so sorry it took me so long to update, I had severe writers block cause this is a mondo important chapter. Okay guys bear with me. This chapter is somewhat different, I really needed it though for the plot if things (hint hint) possibly go bad. So anyways enjoy and if you don't well too bad! Oh yeah and there is a very explicit kiss for a PG-13 rating on this chapter, so if it bugs don't read.
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, except for the plot.
'.....'thoughts "....."speaking
Ginny looked up at Hermione as she descended the stairs.
"Are you sure you don't want me to bring food here for you? That way you won't have to walk to the Great Hall."
"No Ginny, it's the last day. Harry and Ron would be disappointed if I didn't go," Hermione said, the fatigue she was feeling showing in her voice. "And no arguments," she noted seeing Ginny's mouth fly open to do just that.
Ginny glared at her crossing her arms. "If you think you'll make it."
"Ginny, I'm just tired."
"And thin, and pale, and....."
"I get the point," Hermione said raising her hands up in surrender.
"Where are they? Ron we should really go check on what's keeping them." Harry said as he watched Ron pile food onto his plate.
"Honestly Harry relax, they're probably just talking. You know like girl things and giggling," Ron said as a fearful shudder passed through his body. He couldn't stand most things girly like pink, frills, and accessories. He just didn't understand the purpose of giggling and such, laughing was just as good. But why girls had to make it sound so....... eeew!
"Ron?" Harry asked seeing the pained look on his friends face. Ron didn't respond staring at his pumpkin juice as if it Draco Malfoy himself.
"Ron," Harry waved his hand in front of his face. Harry sighed sitting back on the bench after failing to get a reaction out of Ron. He scanned the Great Hall and saw Hermione and Ginny enter. Ron, currently done examining every inch of his pumpkin juice scooted over to give Hermione room to sit next to him. The two girls seated themselves and began to fill their plates, Ginny continuing to shoot glares tainted with concern in Hermione's direction.
"It's scary to think that next year will be our last year, don't you think?" Harry blurted out mixing all the foods on his plate.
Ginny lifted an eyebrow at him that went unnoticed.
Hermione smiled ruefully, "I'm not looking forward to our last year at Hogwarts. But I don't dread it either."
Ron sighed and stared at the table. "Makes me sad to think about all this will be over in a year."
"You know Ron, I think you put it best. We have now, so why not joke about it and its not like any of us could forget each other." Ginny said resting her head on Harry's shoulder.
"I don't think one of Gilderoy Lockhearts memory charms could cure my memory of you two," Hermione said sarcastickly rolling her eyes.
Harry laughed lightly as Ron grinned like the cheshire cat. "Why would you even want to forget us Hermione. I mean we're perfect."
Ginny snorted from acrost the table and made no show about hiding the fit of giggles that had come over her. Ron simply glared at his sister.
Harry gently raised his glass, "To never forget the two most perfect young gentlemen and lavishing ladies that Hogwarts has ever seen."
Ron's, Ginny's, and Hermione's glasses met his. Each drank the remnants in their glasses and a comfortable silence followed their pact.
"Now what was that about lavishing ladies," Ginny said poking her boyfriend in the ribs.
Much later into the night they all sat in the common room simply staring into the fire, each one lost in their own thoughts. Hermione was surprised when she heard someone laugh. She turned to Ron her eyebrows raised. Ron laughed again as a second chuckle joined his. Harry tried to stop, he really did, but before he knew what was going on he couldn't contain himself as tears of laughter rolled down his face, gasping for breath. Hermione found herself smiling at their idiotic behavior and soon that smiled turned into a laugh. Hermione didn't know exactly what the four of them were laughing about, and couldn't really find the breath to care.
It just felt so nice to laugh like this. It had been so long since they had. Things had become so tense after Sirius had died. It had taken Harry till well into Christmas to get over that. Ron had been so jittery over the accident in the Department of Mysteries. He truly hadn't known what the full consequences of being Harry's best friend could be. Although the mishap of Harry getting locked in a bathroom and Ron not knowing where he was for four hours had quickly changed his mind that Harry was worth it all.
Hermione's own experience in the Department of Mysteries had been disturbing, however, Hermione had made her mind up long ago that she would never abandon Harry. She would never abandon her friends. Hermione knew she was smart and she planned to use all she had learned to help bring Voldemort down in the end. If she was needed Hermione swore to herself she would be there. No question, no analyzing, no exceptions, she would be there.
"What were we laughing about?" Ginny asked a placid smile on her face.
"Beats me," Ron said.
"I haven't the slightest clue," Harry said his face lit up with a smile. "You know Hermione?"
"No, for once I don't have a single notion."
They stayed up until the night sky had turned a beautiful set of purples and blues in the early morning sun. Hermione sighed as the breeze passed over her window. She knew that nights like these would not happen often. She wrapped the memory tightly in her mind, she'd never forget it.
The morning dawned bright and clear. Ron was sprawled out on the floor in front of the fire a small trickle of drool trailing down his lip, Harry and Ginny were curled up on the couch together, pleasant smiles on their faces, and Hermione was staring blankly around the room. Harry was the first to wake.
"Did you even sleep?"
Hermione managed a weak smile, "It doesn't really matter does it?" Harry glared at her from behind Ginny's curls.
"A little," she lied as Ginny's eyes slowly pried themselves open.
"Mmph farrro snump," Ginny said popping her neck.
Hermione cringed, "What did you say? Something about Harry's rump?"
"Harry's what? I asked if Ron was up."
Harry laughed his cheeks a bit redder that usual, "No Ron's still asleep." He pointed at said person currently trying to make his own water park from the drool pouring out of his mouth.
Ginny looked somewhere between amused and disgusted. Hermione tossed a nearby pillow and nailed Ron in the face.
"Hermione..... why are you reading? You know the train to go home, its..... well its kind of leaving in fifteen minutes," Harry stated the obvious while standing in the portrait hole.
"It's all right Harry, I have other means of getting home this year."
"What?"
"Harry your going to miss the train, go I'll write I promise."
"Your not hurt or anything are you?"
"No, I'm not but you really need to go. You'll miss the train."
Harry looked at her skeptically, "You promise you'll write, you swear."
Hermione smiled, "I promise I will write you and Ron and Ginny. Scouts Honor!" She raised her right hand and laughed slightly.
"You better explain why you didn't take the train."
Once Harry left Hermione quietly slipped up the stairs and returned back in the common room with her trunk. A sense of foreboding filled the pit of her stomach as she stared at the cheery fire. "Good bye, till next year."
She quietly slipped out of the portrait hole as the summer air assaulted her nostrils. Her mood darkened, the halls were so quiet and empty. 'This isn't how Hogwarts should be! There should be people and laughter. Not silence.' Her heart seemed to sting with the emptiness, she couldn't help but feel something was out of place.
Her footsteps seemed to be the only noise that existed. Her musings however were cut short when she walked into the Great Hall.
"Hermione, you made it. I hope Harry and Ron weren't too suspicious?" Remus said his light brown hair falling unruly into his face as a wind passed through the castle.
"Nothing I couldn't handle," Hermione smiled.
"Come, we have a long way to go. I cannot Apparate us from inside the grounds though. So perhaps, instead of you dragging this," Remus waved his wand and Hermione's trunk levitated next to her. "We could make the trip a little easier."
Hermione nodded her head unable to remove the giddy smile from her lips.
"I must say you look much better than the last time I saw you. Much more..... hopeful." Remus said as they leisurely walked out into the grounds towards the gates.
"I have been feeling better, yes."
"Why so quiet?" Remus asked his hands stuffed into his pockets his gaze averted towards the ground at his forwardness.
'Your not being forward, any person would have done the same. Your simply asking why she is being quiet. Your not asking her to spill her life's secrets.' Remus felt a sudden urge of gratefulness towards his subconscious.
"I apologize, my mind is somewhere else today." Hermione said staring at the clouds.
"And where would that be?"
Hermione shivered as his voice rippled over her in waves. 'Not again.' She looked up at his face and imagined kissing those lips. "Not where it should be."
A silence fell over the two as they walked. Only when they reached the gates did either speak. "Ahh, here we are," Remus said putting a hand on her trunk and walking towards it. Hermione looked up and saw a carriage parked before them.
"I thought we were Apparating?"
"We are, your things are not. Don't worry they should arrive by nightfall." Remus lifted the trunk into the carriage. Right after he did so, it immediately took off.
"Hermione, come here," Remus said holding his hand out to her.
Hermione felt heat rush through her body, then seemed to rest on her face. 'He has to be touching you to be able to apparate you nitwit, get your mind out of the gutter,' Hermione mentally cringed.
'I don't trust myself in his touch. I would do something rash.' Hesitantly she placed her hand in his. Hermione's breath seemed to catch in her throat as he laughed slightly and stepped forward.
Shakily her hand rested in his, Hermione though seemed determined to keep some distance between them. Remus chuckled and stepped forward enveloping her in an embrace. 'Just remember Lupin, she's your ex-student. You can do this just Apparate. Don't concentrate on anything but Apparating.'
Hermione went rigid as his body heat, his smell surrounded her. 'Oh bloody hell.' His hands traveled down her arms.
"Hold onto me." He gently placed her arms around his neck.
'He's so close.' Hermione put her head on his chest, her nose grazing his neck, giving in to a temptation her body seemed keen to indulge in. A tingling sensation enveloped her body as Remus Apparated them. The sensation made Hermione slightly queasy so she was glad for the haste in which it disappeared.
She quickly raised her head from his chest and looked up to see trees. 'Lots of trees. He obviously lives far away from everyone with the Lycanthrope.'
Her eyes came to rest on his face and found his eyes already searching hers. She smiled as an all to familiar heat spread across her face. Her fingers absentmindedly stroked the short hairs at the back of his neck, his fingers tracing lazy circles on her waist. Her eyes dipped to his lips then back to his face again. "Remus I...."
"Shh, just don't..." Remus said putting a finger on her lips. Remus had successfully convinced himself this was a good idea and if she spoke he knew his mind would take the chance to reprimand him. He reached down and softly pressed his lips against hers.
White hot electricity passed through both of their bodies as Remus pulled her petite form closer. What Remus had intended to be a chaste kiss became more as Hermione's tongue ran across his lips. The sharp gasp that left his mouth was in no way lost to her. His hand found home in her hair as she lifted herself on her tiptoes trying to reach his height in a more effective manner.
'Oh my,' Hermione thought. Although most two syllable thoughts were forcefully ripped from her mind, all except for one, "Remus."
Suddenly Remus pulled away taking three steps back from her. "I shouldn't have..... Hermione, I apologize." Remus turned and practically fled into a cabin towards his left.
Hermione desperately tried to get her breathing under control. 'Oh good grief. I don't know what to feel.' Hermione reached her hand up to her still tingling lips. 'Elation, infatuation, and joy. Remus.'
'You brainless idiot. What exactly were you thinking?!?! You just kissed Hermione.' Remus stopped walking and stood stock still. 'I just kissed Hermione!'
Remus threw himself down on the couch in his living room trying to categorize what had just happened. "What's..... what is going on? I can't believe I just..... I just kissed Hermione."
Remus couldn't stop the smile that flitted across his face.
'It will not be repeated!'
A.N.Don't look at me like that! I warned you! So please R&R even if you only tell me that my story really sucks, but I'd prefer if you didn't-. And I'd also like to thank my incredible beta Kas Kar Ace. And once again I apologize for the cornyness, it won't happen again! TTFN