A.N. Hiya guys, I woke up this morning and my muses were eating at me. It's rather long, so here ya go. I'm probably going to catch a couple flames over this chapter, but oh well. It is what it is.

Hermione sat back gently, resting herself on Ron's shoulder. She was more than full, at dinner she had eaten her fill and a bit more, 'And it is glorious.'

Ron chuckled at her obvious laziness. "What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing, it's just life at this point is treating me rather well," She said.

Harry lifted an eyebrow, "The full moon is in a week. Have you forgotten about that?"

Hermione looked offended, "Of course not! Still that's a week away; I have seven days until then."

Ginny shook her head trying to wish the fatigue away, tonight was going so well and no matter how tired she was she didn't want to leave quite yet. She readjusted herself on Harry's shoulder, her eyelids unusually heavy. For a few more moments she desperately tried to ignore her sleepiness, but with a sigh realized she couldn't. She lifted herself from Harry's warm embrace and stood. "I'm sorry for ruining the night, but I can't seem to keep my eyes open."

Ron nodded and Harry gently kissed her hand, "Night love."

Ginny blushed, a bit, at his open declaration, "Night."

Ginny was just starting the long trek to the Gryffindor common room when she heard footsteps following her. She turned to see Hermione running towards her. She stopped next to Ginny with a smile on her face.

"You know, I thought Ron turned red when he blushed, but you have just decimated his record," Hermione said. When Harry had said that he loved Ginny, she had blushed so brightly it was hard to tell her face from her hair.

"Shut up," Ginny mumbled, she could not help the smile from smothering the frown she had intended. She fiddled with her robes and laughed softly. "I was just so shocked."

Hermione laughed, "It showed."

They came to the Library corridor and Hermione stopped. "I'll see you tomorrow Ginny."

"Bye Hermione."

Hermione pushed the doors to the library open and stepped inside. She traveled the now familiar path to Remus' room. He'd be upset that she had come, but it had been the perfect day, and he was the only thing that would make it any better. Besides going back to her common room, and having to deal with Malfoy was not what she had in mind.

She stepped inside the room and looked around in confusion. The fire was out, the desk was void of all papers, and everything of Remus' was gone. She looked around the room and went in the bathroom, desperately trying to find some answer besides the obvious for what was going on. When the bathroom proved as bare as the other room, she went back into the other. Tears stung her eyes as she sat numbly on the bed, she couldn't tell if she was numb for the cold, or from what had just happened. As she sat down, a crinkling noise startled her. She stood back up and opened the crumpled piece of parchment on the bed.

Dear Hermione,

I apologize, but I must go. Two days ago, I received a letter from a friend, and she needed my help. I could not leave her. It is strange to be at a loss for words, I have never been that way before. I love you Hermione, I hope you know this. I ask you to find comfort in another; I have no way of knowing when I will be back or even if I will. I cannot be greedy with you any longer. I love you Hermione, I will regret this until my dying day. I cannot express how much it hurts to leave you; you were my mate, my other half. I ask one more thing of you before I leave, forget me.

Remus Lupin

The piece of parchment fluttered to the floor, the ink stained with tears.

The wind whipped his face, biting the warmth of his cheeks. He looked back at the looming form of Hogwarts in the distance, Hogsmeade seemed so far away.

He knew she was still there, her warm smile beckoning him back to her arms, and her hand just waiting for his.

Remus turned his back to Hogwarts and Apparated away, trying to ignore the pain in his heart.

Draco was sitting by the fire doing his homework when the portrait opened. Hermione drug herself in, with all intensions of heading into her room to cry what was left of her tears out. She made it to the staircase before she collapsed to her knees.

Draco walked cautiously towards her. "Granger?"

Hermione wrapped her arms around herself, touching her head to the floor. A faint thought in the back of her mind stopped the flow of tears for a moment. 'Why are you overreacting so badly? It's not as if you can't live without him.'

Hermione sniffled, 'No, I can. I know I can, but I love him. I gave everything to him. I feel so empty.'

Draco looked down awkwardly at the girl in front of him. In no way was he fond of her, but a sort of respect had formed. He made his decision quickly; he rose and left the common room, heading up to the seventh floor.

He was rather relieved to see two of the trio walking in front of him, obviously on their way back from dinner. He quickened his pace, once he was close enough he grabbed Potter's sleeve.

Harry whirled around, his eyes becoming rather large when he saw who was behind him. "What do you want?"

"Follow me," Draco said turning around and retracing his footsteps.

Harry and Ron exchanged a look but followed.

During the entirety of the walk, Draco justified what he had just done in his mind. He didn't want to put up with Granger lying on the floor of his common room crying all night. It was better to get Potty and Weasel to come get her. He was, in no way, showing compassion. He did however conveniently ignore the fact that he had not called her Mudblood in more than three days.

"Why are we here?" Harry asked when they reached the Head dormitories entrance.

Draco got a rather pained look on his face and simply uttered the password. The three men stepped inside and looked around. Hermione had obviously made it to her room, as her presence on the floor was rather scarce.

"She's up in her room," Draco said turning back to his homework.

At the mention of Hermione both Harry and Ron turned to the staircase and began to mount it. If Malfoy had had to come and get them, there was bound to be something wrong. Harry threw the door open and ran inside. What he saw made his heart plummet and Ron gasp beside him.

Hermione was lying on her bed, curled up in a ball, sobbing. Save for fourth year, neither of them had very rarely seen Hermione cry. Ron leaned over to Harry and whispered, "Go get Ginny."

Harry nodded and left as Ron approached the bed. He sat down next to her, stroking her hair. "'Mione, what's wrong?"

Hermione only sobbed harder, crumpling a piece of parchment in her hand. Ron reached for it, gently covering her hand with his. She looked up into those eyes, those bright blue eyes of someone who would not ask questions, only offer comfort. Her fingers loosened their grip on the parchment as Ron took it out of her hands and read it.

By the end of the letter Ron was positively fuming. 'How dare he leave her like that! And not even say goodbye! Did he hit his head while I wasn't looking? She loves him, and he said goodbye in a letter. What a fool.'

He looked back up at her, and curled his arms around her form. "I'm so sorry Hermione. I am so sorry."

Hermione crawled into his embrace, balled up his shirt and cried into his chest. Ron was uncomfortable to say the least, but he wasn't going to show it. Hermione needed him, and even if Voldemort came bursting into the room, he would go to his death before letting go. His hands stroked her hair, as he cradled her body.

Hermione pushed the fact that she was curled up in another man's arms after Remus had left only hours before. 'He should be happy; I'm doing what he wanted.' She sobbed harder at that thought, as Ron's arms only wrapped tighter around her. With a sniffle, Hermione realized she had referred to Ron as a man. 'Is he really a man to me?'

After Hermione's sobs quieted, it didn't take too long to figure out she had cried herself to sleep. Ron went to move her form so she could lie back on the pillows and so she would let go of him. Her lithe arms reached out and wrapped around his waist.

Ginny opened the door, with Harry not too far behind her. She saw Ron sitting on Hermione's bed, with Hermione curled up in his lap, holding onto him for dear life. Ron held her lightly, as if she would break. She stepped into the room and walked towards the two.

"Here Ron, put her back on the pillows. I'll take care of her; I'll even miss classes for it." Ginny said, bustling about, reminding Harry slightly of Mrs. Weasley.

"I'd love to Gin, but she won't let go." Ron said, doing his best to sound irritated.

"What happened to her?" Harry asked, moving forward to help Ron detach her.

"Lupin," Ron said simply laying her back on the pillows. "She must be exhausted, she's still asleep."

Harry raised a questioning eyebrow.

"He left her. Didn't say a word, just left a note saying he had to go help a friend and he probably would never come back. Told her to find somebody else and that he loved her. Stupid git, stuck her in a catch twenty-two, he loves her, but he's never going to be back. She'll never be able to let go, there's always a possibility he'll be back. He left her alone," Ron said, running a hand across her brow.

Ginny keenly avoided the fact that Ron was being rather protective of Hermione and seethed at Lupin. "How stupid! How could he do this to her now?"

"She'll be alright won't she?" Ron asked, his voice wavering in uncertainty.

"Hermione's stronger than to loose herself from a broken heart, she won't let him drag her down," Ginny said as she began rummaging through Hermione's drawers. "Both of you out, she can't sleep in her uniform. I need to wake her up."

Harry and Ron dutifully left.

Ginny gently shook her shoulder, lifting her slightly. "Hermione, sit up for me."

Hermione sat up groggily, halfway between asleep and awake.

Ginny quickly changed Hermione's clothes and laid her back on the bed, covering her up. Hermione reached out for a pillow, cradling it to her body, holding it like it was another person. Ginny sighed going to the door and opening it. Ushering Harry and Ron back in, both were obviously uncomfortable. "There's nothing more I can do, but she's sleeping now."

Harry nodded, "I'm going to go turn in, and you guys can take it from here." He turned abruptly and left.

Ginny shook her head, "And I though he dealt badly with my hysterics."

Ron nodded still staring at Hermione. "Could he have been more cruel? He left the letter so he would feel better. He didn't even think about what it would do to her. He left the letter so there was some feeling of closure for him. He was completely selfish with her and all she did was love him."

Ginny nodded. "Com'on there's nothing more I can do for her tonight. We'll come back in the morning."

Ron sighed heavily and turned towards the door, giving one last look at the girl in the bed. He whispered softly to the seemingly asleep person, "I'll always be here for you 'Mione."

As her door closed, Hermione's view of Ron changed from boy to man. Hermione pushed away her rational thoughts screaming at her, saying she was overreacting and turned over pulling her pillow to her once again.

A.N. So let the flames begin aye? Oh yeah, I know a lot of you are asking whether or not this is going to stay Hermione/Remus. It will. I'm just taking a slight deviation from our planned course…