A.N. Well guys, I would like to severely apologize to all of my reviewers. I had gotten a review that rather... er... made me think I needed to re-write my story. I apologize for not updating in so long and I will slowly be re-writing it. I really feel bad for not updating, forgive me.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, it all belongs to J.K. Rowling and no profit is being made off this story.
Hermione woke up as she snuggled her pillow closer. Remus had insisted she stay in her room at least once during the year. She had been suspicious until he gave her a warm smile, gently reassuring her. "I do not turn you away Hermione, I simply wish you a good night of sleep. When you are with me," he paused. "I tend to divest you of that."
"Among other things," Hermione said, softly kissing him. "Good night."
She sat up, rubbing a hand over her face, her hair cascading over her form. Crookshanks jumped up on the bed trilling at her, begging for attention. Hermione smiled running a hand through his silky fur. He trilled at her again settling into her lap.
"And what have you been up to young sir?" she asked, rubbing the back of his ears. Crookshanks only began to purr and rub his head against her hand. She sighed, getting out of bed and stripping off her nightclothes. She took a quick shower, wrapping a towel around herself and going back to her room. She dried her hair with a swish of her wand and, with her free hand, reached for her dressers. She got a black skirt reaching to a bit above her knees and a white button up shirt with a tank top underneath. She left the first three buttons undone leaving a bit of her bronze skin showing.
She smiled, a bit mischievously, when Remus eyes darkened like that as they raked up and down her body, it gave Hermione a sense of power. A sense of power she was keen to exploit. She grabbed the textbooks necessary for the day and left her room.
Harry and Ron met her halfway to charms.
"What took you so long?" Ron asked incredulously.
"I didn't take that long. It's just a stereotype, that women take too long getting ready, nothing more. It took me no more than an hour. How long do you take getting ready in the morning?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Like ten minutes," Ron said, giving her a strange look.
"Charming," Hermione muttered, as she walked into a classroom. She sat down near the front and took out her books for the day.
Ron sat next to her somewhat begrudgingly, "Mione, I didn't mean no harm by it. I was just teasing. Besides you look a lot prettier than me!"
Hermione smiled despite herself, "Well, that's not very hard is it?"
Ron glowered at Hermione as she tried to keep her giggled under some form of control. 'Well that wasn't very nice! I was trying to make her feel better and she goes and does something like that!'
"Oh come on, Ron! I was only teasing!" Hermione said, a halo of innocence practically hanging over her head.
"Bloody females," Ron grumbled, turning to face the rather short Charms Professor.
"Hello class today we will be..."
Hermione walked along the corridor nearly bursting with students, she was going to be late to Ancient Ruins, if people didn't start to get out of her way.
"Miss Granger!" a voice called out.
Hermione turned around to face said voice. Professor McGonagall was striding towards her with fervor. The students seemed to part in her wake, giving the woman easy access without the burdens of hundreds of bodies. Hermione glowered in a jealousy.
"That's not what I would consider fair, Professor," she said, crossing her arms.
"What are you talking about?" Professor McGonagall asked, giving the young girl a strange look.
"You don't have to fight your way through the masses with an electrified stick to get to class on time!" she huffed.
McGonagall smiled knowingly, "It is simply a presence, you must hold about you. An air of..."
"Professor, I was just kidding. There's no need to go into details." Hermione said laying a hand on her arm.
The ageing Professor smiled. "Come, Professor Dumbledore and Lupin need to see you. Harry, Ron and Draco are already on their way."
"But my next class! I... I don't want to fall behind," Hermione stuttered, horrorstruck.
"Miss Granger, you are no longer registered in the class of Ancient Ruins. You joined the order and you have specific responsibilities, this hour is to be spent with Lupin, learning self-defense," McGonagall said, her step turning her back in the other direction.
Hermione all but jumped forward trying to keep up with her, not wanting to have to fight her way, the only option of being left behind. She would be going against the line of traffic, and that in Hogwarts was a step below suicide.
"Will I still be able to graduate?" she asked panting from the effort to keep up with the professor, pushing her way through crowds.
Professor McGonagall turned with a superior smile, "You already can Miss Granger. The extra classes you elected to take while Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter were off chasing a Snitch gave you the necessary requirements for being able to pass Hogwarts. Though, I do believe chasing a Snitch is also something to be admired."
Hermione quietly followed McGonagall's orders to go to the Room of Requirement. She was about to enter when she heard something akin to a ragging testosterone battle. She walked inside and saw Ron and Draco on opposite sides of the room screaming at each other at the top of their lungs. Harry was leaning against a nearby wall, seemingly keen to just watch for this round.
"If it were my choice, you wouldn't even be here Malfoy!" Ron bellowed, shaking in a fit of rage.
"You aren't even fit to hold a wand you filthy swine!" Draco screamed back, although, his trademark smirk never left his face.
Hermione let out an exasperated sigh and slammed her books down on the floor. "Aren't we a bit old for this... this bickering?"
"No!" they both yelled in unison, turning back to glare at the other.
"Bicker all you want, but it will end when we come here! I don't want to see any potshots or low blows to settle old scores. You're on the same side now, so at least act like it in here," Remus said, walking into the room giving off an air of superiority.
Hermione suppressed the urge to run to him and hold him tight. She mentally slapped herself, 'It's only been a few hours since you last saw him. Honestly, get yourself under control.'
The boys stared poison daggers at each other and Remus gave her a quick warm smile. Hermione grinned back, knowing she looked, in the least, a bit foolish.
"Now," Remus said walking to in front of them all. "You realize I cannot show favoritism in this room, to anyone." His eyes strayed to all of them, lingering on each, but his meaning was crystal clear. In this place there could be no ranks, no un-equality, they all had to be on an even keel.
"I assume you all know the basic defensive tactics?" he asked.
"Well actually, I don't know about Malfoy, but we had something called Dumbledore's Army and Harry taught us loads of stuff!" Ron said, leaning up against a table.
"I'm not talking about spells." Remus met four confused looks. "You could defend off a whole hoard of Death Eaters, by watching each other's backs, by being in the correct formation. But to achieve this you must know the others you're working with. Draco, are you going to be siding with us or with the Death Eaters?"
"Unfortunately, I will be making my stand. I'll be fighting with the twerps," he said gesturing to the other three.
"Good, Harry, I want you and Malfoy back to back. Ron you at Hermione's," he said moving his wand.
Harry stared aghast, "Professor, you can't be serious?!"
"That's not fair, I'm not trusting my life to the likes of him!" Malfoy said pointing an accusing finger.
"Who do you know better, than your enemy?" Remus asked, he chanted a couple of spells and two completely still figures stood before them, they were faceless. "Don't worry, they will only do what I tell them to, nothing more." Remus moved one of the decoys to in front of Harry and the other to in front of Draco. "Now simply follow them, but keep each others backs covered."
The two young men scoffed, but stepped up to their challenge. 'They have similar qualities, both very courageous, just for different reasons. Harry because he has to, and Malfoy for his own glory, but all the same. Malfoy has proven he has some heart... somewhere,' Hermione mused, watching them. Remus had been right, they achieved what was asked without a hitch.
Hermione and Ron stepped up to the same task, and performed as well as Harry and Malfoy had.
"Very good, now the next thing we will learn is the ability to stay silent," he said, a serious tone lacing his voice.
Ron gave him a questioning look. "We're not little kids anymore! I can keep my mouth shut!"
Remus' face became very grave. "You cannot under all circumstances keep your motuh shut I promise." He walked closer to the young red-head. "I'm going to kill that little Ginny girl when I get my hands on her," he whispered fiercely.
"Hey," Ron said protectively, stepping forward.
Remus held up his hands. "I was only trying to prove a point. You said you could keep silent, look what happened just now."
Ron firmly closed his mouth and pouted, as Hermione stifled a giggle. He shot a glare in her direction, threatening dire consequences if she did not close her mouth.
Remus looked at her with a grave expression. "Damn half-breeds, they're worth no more than the shit on my shoe. If it were up to me, I'd have them all exterminated, shoot them in the back of the head."
Hermione felt her eyes sting and the color drain from her face. 'How dare he say something like that to her.............. Is that what people really thought of her, nothing but a useless half-breed?' She took deep breaths trying to get herself under control.
"Hey! That was bloody uncalled for!" Ron said, holding Hermione close to him.
Remus felt a pang of jealousy strike him hard. That was his Hermione, Ron was not allowed to be cuddling.
"What are you talking about?" Draco asked, his eyes lighting up with a feral light.
Harry grabbed Malfoy by the front of his robes, "Never you mind, forget it, sod off, disappear!"
"If you two could leave us please," Remus said, gesturing to the three boys.
Ron looked at Hermione, asking a silent question. Hermione nodded and Ron left, but not before shooting a threatening glare at Remus. Once the other had left she turned to him. "Why'd you... that..." she turned her back trying to get her tears under control. "That hurt."
Remus sighed and stepped up to her, gently rubbing her shoulders. "I overreacted, I just wanted to prepare you for what others might say. I didn't want you to be hurt like that at the wrong time. It is a soft spot Hermione, and if they find it they will not leave in unexplored."
"You don't think other people think of me that way do you?" she asked, sniffling.
Remus pulled her into an embrace, "The people that matter do not."
Hermione buried her face in his chest; "You don't think of me like that do you?"
Remus kissed her, pouring all the passion he could into it. "My sweet Hermione, I could never think of you like that, never in a million years!"
A.N. Well whatchya think? I kinda like it, I was shooting for something else, but oh well, it turned out how it turned out. And I'd also like to thank my beta Kas Kar ACE!